


Braving Zootopia University

by FieldofCosmicLions



Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: Alcohol, Alternate Universe, Angst, Angst and Humor, Desire, Drama, Drugs, Frenemies, Friendship, Implied Sexual Content, Love, Multi, Predator/Prey, Rivalry, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-21
Updated: 2018-07-18
Packaged: 2019-04-06 05:08:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 86,338
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14049588
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FieldofCosmicLions/pseuds/FieldofCosmicLions
Summary: Judy Hopps is a freshman at Zootopia University, a prestigious undergraduate institution at the heart of the lively city. Determined to leave behind a past of being a social outcast, she is bent on rebuilding herself and her reputation- which means lots of hectic partying, breaking the rules, and exploring outside of her comfort zone.But can Judy withstand a hazing fraternity of predators called Alpha Preda, survive the antics of a pesky fox, maintain a wishful social status, and still pass all of her classes?





	1. The Big Move

 

 

All animals, despite their differences and natural limitations, have the remarkable capability to adapt to new environments. Even in the face of struggle, whether in the form of food scarcity or being hunted down, natural selection of the fittest throws critters a lifeline. Populations thrive- even if by a few surviving members. Nature’s gifted outcasts.

 

That high school biology lesson made a decent point after all.

 

A vibrant young rabbit by the name of Judy Hopps believed in her innate skill to survive, regardless of the circumstances, in order to persevere in a particularly new environment: Zootopia University, the main institution within the heart of downtown Zootopia. She was just about the happiest mammal in the world to have gotten that golden letter of acceptance, and much to her parents’ reluctance, she instantly confirmed her attendance and packed all her things. They did their best to discourage her but nothing could keep her from it. Judy was as eager as she was stubborn— perhaps it was her gift as an exemplary outcast of nature.

 

After a summer of antsy waiting and a lengthy drive out of the burrows, at long last, she was finally there.

 

Judy took a calm, deep inhale as she took the scenery in. A golden fountain greeted her and her father as they drove onto campus and weaved through the maze of numerous classic academic buildings, old fashioned campus dorms, and numerous lawns split by cobblestone paths. Each path was labelled by light posts, signs, and the university flag, the symbol of ZU: a seal of unity depicted by different animal paws aligned in a semi-circle. All the buildings seemed to display the emblem. At the horizon above the campus she could identify the scenery scape of Zootopian skyscrapers, not at all distant compared to how it seemed from her home in Bunnyburrow where all that could be seen was a faint halo of the glowing city beyond the hill tops at night. Almost like she could just reach out and _touch_ it…

 “Aaaand that’s the last of ‘em,” Stu Hopps huffed a bit breathlessly as he lowered the final box of her belongings into a wagon. Handle in paw, Judy continued soaking up the sights with dreamy violet eyes, her ears tall. "Well, looks like someone's all ready to move in, huh? Sure you don't need help unpacking sweetie?" His look of contentment turned to one of fatherly concern. He stepped to his daughter’s side and followed her gaze to their surroundings with amber eyes. "This campus sure is huge... full of mammals different than you… are you sure you'll be able to fit in?"

 

The smaller bunny blinked, and shook the mesmerized look off her face to turn and look at him. She could see the worry painted in his features. "Yeah dad," she reassured, giving a small 'just trust me' smile and dismissive wave of a paw. "It'll be easy. I can just tell, I'll fit right in." She wasn't sure who she was trying to convince, but she certainly had hope. 

 

Stu sighed, returning her small smile. "I'm sure you’ll love it here. But since I just want you to stay safe…" He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a hand sized pink gadget— fox repellent. Judy’s eyes widened skeptically.

 

“ _Really_ , dad? I don’t even think that’s allowed on campus,” she pointed out in a bit of an embarrassed murmur, tugging on one of her ears.

 

“Now Jude,” his tone became serious, a sound she was quite accustomed to hearing. “You know the deal with those predators- especially foxes. They’re the _worst_ \- don’tcha remember that hooligan Gideon Grey?”

 

With a bit of a grunt and droopy ears, Judy stubbornly took the repellent, mostly to keep him from continuing his 'preds are scary,' talk she had heard plenty of times. “Okay, okay, fine. I’ll take it if it means you’ll stop lecturing me,” she grumbled, stuffing it into one of her deep jean overall pockets.

 

Stu gave a satisfactory smile and nod combo. “You’ll never know when it’ll come in handy. Just please stay safe, and promise me that you'll muzzletime your mother and I every so often?"

 

"I will,” she assured, her expression softening into a small smile. “Thanks dad, for everything," she watched his arms spread open in an invitation for a hug, so she leaped forward and embraced him tightly. "I love you, dad. I’m going to miss you guys."

 

"Oh honey. I love you too. It won’t be the same without ya home, but I know you’ll do just great." He smiled warmly, pecking her forehead before hopping into the truck front seat. Mom would’ve definitely come along if it weren't for the fact the truck was a two-seater, and all the stuff that Judy brought had completely occupied the trunk. "Remember that you’re always welcome back home if you don’t want to stay here. Don't be a stranger, now. Take care, Jude the dude!" He waved as he pulled out of his parking spot, finally driving off. Judy waved back, watching the vehicle until it was out of sight.

 

Now, it was time for a new chapter to begin. And the bunny was beyond thrilled.

 

“ _I can’t believe I’m actually here_!” She squealed to herself quietly as she danced in place for a few seconds, scanned the scene to confirm no one had seen her do that, and pulled the hefty wagon behind her into her new home: Hornstein Hall.

 

It was a four story building, a classic red-and-white brick abode for freshmen girls of ZU where predators and prey would share spaces together, and Judy for one actually appreciated the notion of diversity. Above the entrance were large horns, carved out of some kind of white marble stone. Other mammals were entering with their own wagons and luggage in hand, and Judy greeted them all with a smile and an optimistically overbearing, “Hey! I’m Judy Hopps-Oh hi! Hello there! Nice to meet you, I’m Judy!”

 

“Name, please?” A skunk with a lower lip piercing and side bang asked somewhat dully from behind the front desk, flashing a courteous smile down towards the bunny.

 

“Oh, hi there, I’m Judy,” she chirped excitedly. “What’s your name? Nice to meet you! I’m from BunnyBurrow. It’s my first time in downtown Zootopia and the campus is just beau-“

 

“Judy… Hopps?” The skunk interrupted as she spotted and checked off the name on a clipboard, smiling almost amusingly at Judy’s overflowing enthusiasm. “No worries gyal, we’ll get to chat soon. Just have to sign everyone in before you can have access to your rooms. Which is kinda important.”

 

Taken only slightly aback, Judy recovered easily from the interruption. “Sure, sounds great.” She glanced over her shoulder and realized the growing line of freshmen girls lining behind her, and gasped. “Yes- the name’s Judy Hopps. Sorry for the hold up.”

 

“Alright Judy, gonna need you to sign here and here for me…” She slid a paper and pen under the glass slit separating them. Judy didn’t hesitate, fluidly marking the paper with great penmanship. “…and we’re having a hall meeting tonight at 8 to discuss some hall rules, so I’ll see you again then. Room 400. Chill?”

 

“Yep- I mean, _chill_.” Judy slid the paper back with a skittish laugh. She’d have to get used to that city lingo.

 

The skunk chuckled warmly. “Name’s Pepper. See ya then.” Pepper slid a small envelope back to Judy, who took it and walked over to the elevator with wagon in tow. As she waited, she opened it gingerly, revealing a silver key labelled ‘402.’ Once the elevator doors opened, the bunny steered the wagon in and held the doors open for other girls trying to get in as well- a mouse and her family, two pigs, a wolf, and an elephant which remarkably all seemed to squeeze in. As it ascended, Judy smiled at the occupants, some who gave her awkward stares, so she glanced away and exhaled.

 

_Coming on a little too strong there- gotta lower the excitement a notch._

 

But it was all so surreal. The rabbit bit her lip but it was no use trying to conceal her smile. She managed to dial down her enthusiasm by just a hair so as not seem too overbearing to new mammals, and refrained from saying anything until the elevator emptied. Once at the fourth floor, she was the last mammal left, and exited the elevator quickly. Judy paced the halls a bit to get a sense of the floor layout until she found her door- which was already held open wide by a wooden door stopper.

 

“Hello?” Judy peeked in, wagon following suit as she entered. The room was on the small side, but spacious enough to the rabbit. Two beds, two desks, two dressers, and a window on the wall opposite the door which overlooked the entire campus of ZU. Being so high up was new, and she spaced out for a moment until a voice responded.

 

“Why hello there,” came a smaller, shrill voice. It came from a small white sheep with shiny red glasses, blinking at the bunny before gasping. "You're my roommate! Jeez I was not expecting you... to be a _bunny_! With a ZPD T-shirt and all..." she babbled and laughed for a bit before adjusting to a more welcoming tone.  Judy looked down at her shirt with the ZPD logo underneath her overalls, suddenly made aware of it. "I'm Dawn Bellwether, by the way. It's actually pretty nice to meet another mammal into law- you should know I'm a political science major." She extended her hoof, and Judy kindly returned the gesture by shaking it with her paw.

 

“I’m Judy Hopps, nice to meet you Dawn,” she beamed at the wooly mammal. “And yeah, about the shirt. I’m actually majoring in criminal justice. It’s a program that leads to an internship at the downtown precinct. It's no big deal,” she shrugged humbly.

 

“Whaaat, _very_ big deal!” the sheep gushed, “Us little guys gotta stick together, y’know. Prey mammals really don’t get to participate in making and enforcing the law much. Basically a male predator dominated field.” Bellwether adjusted her glasses slightly as she spoke in a matter-of-factly tone, and turned to a pile of clothes on her bed she seemed to be folding away. “Gosh- this is actually _great_! Because I’m actually hoping to start a club for mammals interested in law, especially for underrepresented students. You should join it, Judy, it’d be a blast-” She went on about her ideas for the club which consisted of requirements for joining and weekly study groups, and Judy tried her best to listen as she started to open her own boxes and suitcases. “-so, what do you think, sounds fun right?”

 

“Sounds… swell.” Judy commented uncertainly, starting to stack books along her desk shelf. Truthfully, Judy thought the club was a neat idea. However… she did not want a repeat of her high school experience- back at BunnyBurrow High she was the typical overachiever, acing all of her classes, similarly running her own small club, being the class president, as well as the valedictorian.

Not that she didn’t like success and nerdy extracurriculars. Just that it brought _a lot_ of bullying and social outcasting with it from the ‘cool’ crowds, or even the ‘normal’ mammals. She hardly ever got to have others know her for _her_ , not some prestigious role she filled. The kind, funny, potentially cool Judy Hopps they never gave so much as a chance to get to know. Many back at home weren't very accepting of her dream of becoming an enforcer of the law, the reason why she had gotten a great deal of mockery and never exactly fit in besides with the underdogs. Although she tried her best to not let it impact her, now that she had the opportunity to remake her identity and reputation, Judy knew she wanted to do things differently this time around.

 

Not only accomplish her dreams, but become somewhat of a social butterfly, someone admired by many, not shunned for her dreams or supposed weirdness.

 

Only question was, how was she planning to balance loads of success and even _an ounce_ of popularity?

 

“Feel free to chip in on the club if you have any more ideas,” Bellwether tucked the last of her clothes away in a low dresser drawer. “I’m basically all done with my side of the room, if you’d like some help unpacking, Judy, I’m all hooves.”

 

“Uh, yeah. Actually that’d be really helpful, thanks!”

 

.o0o.

 

 

As the hall meeting commenced, a little over two dozen girls gathered in the 400 common room, a wide space open daily for all hall mates on the fourth floor to share. Within the carpeted room was a quaint kitchen, TV, sofas, and the like. Pepper sat on the table as she introduced herself and went over the basics:

No breaking the no-visitor rule after 9 pm unless it’s a weekend, no using the side doors beside the main lobby doors (or they’d set off an alarm) between 10 pm and 4 am everyday, no alcohol or illegal substances on the premises, no weapons (which reminded Judy to keep the fox repellent her father insisted on out of sight), don’t be too loud, and so on. Blah blah blah. 

Judy was already aware of the rules by reading the ZU student handbook before moving in, blame her zealous reaction to her admission letter and her knack for memorizing codes of law verbatim. She half tuned into the spiel, otherwise allowing her eyes to wander over the many occupants, large and small. 

After some cheesy ice breakers and a quick activity involving exchanging kind compliments via sticky notes, the crowd started to mingle a bit, allowing Judy an opportunity to get to properly introduce herself to a few girls.

While making an effort to seem kind and outgoing, Judy made sure to leave out the semi-embarrassing fact that she was previously a straight-A student at the top of her graduating class. However, she did mention briefly that she was a criminal justice major and the statement alone earned her odd looks from a few stuck up animals, so she decided to keep even that conversational topic to a minimum. Most were intrigued that she came from a farm, and it seemed she was by far the most foreign student on the fourth floor. A few regarded her with fake sincerity- she knew how to read the signs of that all too well.

Pepper, on the other hand, seemed to like her genuinely, which was a good thing considering the skunk was in charge of all the hall mates on the floor as a resident assistant. They managed to chat a bit and the RA couldn’t help but admire the rambunctious little rabbit, who seemed so new to city culture and mammal diversity. Not too much later, the meeting was over, and everyone began heading towards their rooms while conversing in small pocketed groups along the hallways.

 

“Very nice to meet you! Have a good night!” An otter and sloth, named Octavia and Priscilla, both waved at Judy and Bellwether as they approached their doors. The two happened to live in the neighboring suite adjacent to their room. 

 

“Everyone seems really nice so far,” Bellwether murmured delightedly as she unlocked their room door. “I call that a successful move in day!”

 

“I second that,” Judy hummed, stepping in after the sheep and closing the door behind her gently. 

 

“Buuut I think I’m gonna call it a night. How about you, Judy? Because all this socializing has gotten me eeex-hausted.” Bellwether yawned, stretching her arms over her head before removing her glasses and placing them on her dresser counter top.

 

“Eh, actually… I might take a walk for a few minutes around campus. Still experiencing some weird move-in jitters from all of, well, this,” she motioned to the room around her as Bellwether undressed, causing the rabbit to shield her eyes out of respect, until she heard her room mate hop into bed. _Although it would probably be best to hit the hay soon_ , Judy reasoned with herself.

Bellwether’s twin size mattress was covered with layers of yarn textured blankets and pillows stuffed with something reminiscent of hay. This observation made her previous thought seem like an intentional pun. Judy was definitely an inadvertent comical genius, after all. 

 

“Well don’t be back too late, we have class 8 am sharp!” The sheep reminded sluggishly.

 

 _Right_. They had exchanged class schedules before the hall meeting and discovered they shared an introductory course together, much to Bellwether’s delight. Not that Judy wasn’t happy to have someone she knew well to start her semester alongside with, it was just that Bellwether wasn’t the most… extroverted or socially polished individual.

On a positive note, it was nice for Judy to have a roommate she got along with, at least so far. Plus they had some things in common- both were studious, responsible, and of course smaller than most not including the mouse population. Judy only feared that she would be spending a little too much time with Dawn and consequentially miss out on hanging with the ‘in’ crowds. 

 

“Yeah, I haven’t forgotten.” Judy grabbed her purple lanyard and dressed it around her neck, dorm room key and ID card securely dangling over her chest, and sprinted out and down the staircase before the sheep could respond. The bunny wore the widest grin on her muzzle, knowing there was no way she’d be able to sleep so early her first night in Zootopia University without _just a little_ exploring.

It was beginning to get pretty dark out- not many stars in the sky, something she probably should have expected coming into the city. It kind of made her miss home- the expanses of carrot fields, hills, endless starry skies that stretched for miles…

But she tried to keep the homesick feelings at bay to admire the night sky of Savannah Central main campus for what it was, without bias. She’d fit in, she’d adjust. Even if it meant forcing it. _At least the moon’s out…_

 

If only she slowed her pace and looked ahead of her, instead of up.

 

She knocked into something, _hard_ , and fell back onto the concrete path right onto her rump. “Ugh, ouch…”

 

Judy looked up and met dark green eyes with her own amethyst pair and swallowed thickly, taking in the figure she witnessed standing before her.  _A fox_ , wearing a burgundy varsity jacket with a Greek symbol Alpha on the left breast pocket. The white symbol was sideways, which made it look kinda like a bull's head with horns. Instinctively, Judy's paw hovered over her jean pocket where the repellent was, her heart pounding like a drum as she stared up at him. After all, he was one of her ancient predators, the very species she had only encountered once in the form of a childhood bully.

 

"Sheesh," the fox standing above her groaned, rubbing his chest with a paw."Hah- whoops! I apologize, I didn't see you there." He laughed and extended a paw to her, an offer to help her to her feet.

 

Judy slowly reached out to accept his offer, but froze. Was he… _following_ her? _No- of course not_ , that was silly and rude of her to think straight off the bat. She didn't want to acknowledge how shaky her extended paw was, although she knew he probably noticed. "No! It's, ah, fine, I was the one who walked into you anyway." She pushed herself up quick and dusted her blue jean overalls off awkwardly.

"You’re a freshman, right? From this hall?” The fox gestured coolly to the dorm building a few yards behind them with a clawed thumb. “I know this may sound completely random and crazy, but… could I ask a favor of you? Do you mind… letting me in?"

She cocked an ear and an eyebrow in suspicion, looking up at him.

"I know that sounds _awfully_ straightforward and weird, considering you don’t know me. But I have someone I really need to speak to,” he cupped his paws together in a pleading gesture.

 

Judy cleared her throat and crossed her arms to display her poise. "Unfortunately, I can't let you in if you're not a dorm resident. Hall rules." She responded in a level-headed tone, noticing the droop in his large ears.

 

"Please?" he nearly whimpered. "It's my girlfriend. She's on the first floor, room 110 which is on the left wing of the building. I've- I’ve got to know if she's okay, she isn’t responding to any of my calls or texts... We got into this really terrible argument before she moved in, and I want to make it up to her before classes start tomorrow,” he rubbed his head in frustration.

 

Her brows furrowed in concern, suddenly questioning her straightforward rejection. “I’m… really sorry to hear, it’s just that… I’d get into some serious trouble if the RAs caught me sneaking you in. Guests aren’t allowed after 9 pm…” Her voice trailed off as the fox sighed heavily, his shoulders sinking.

 

“Then, if you don’t mind, can you tell her that I'm sorry?” His gaze lowered to the ground in an expression that could only be described as heartache. “And that… I haven’t forgotten that today’s our _one year anniversary?_ "

 

Judy's eyes softened and darted to the ground in guilt, her crossed arms slacking slightly. _I mean, maybe I could..?_   She reasoned with herself for a moment, biting her lower lip. She truly sympathized with his jeopardized romance and obvious sincerity.

 

The rabbit let out a sigh. "Gosh, I feel terrible. Alright- here, come on in," she turned and waved for him to follow her, which caused the fox to grow toothy grin and pursue her without hesitation.

 

“Oh, thank you! This really means a lot, I’ll be in and out before you can blink. No worries here. Scout’s honor.” He crossed his paw over his heart with what seemed like an innocent smile, making Judy smile warmly in return.  “So kind, really. Any way I can owe you a favor like this in return?”

 

"Oh no, it’s my pleasure. It’s just- you know, it sucks to see folks with such backward attitudes toward foxes. I just wanna say that you seem like a great boyfriend and just a… real articulate fella!" She complimented innocently as they walked.

 

“Well, that is high praise, indeed,” His expression didn't give way despite a small, hardly noticeable twitch of the eyebrow, a smile still plastered on his face as she led him to a neglected side door.

 

An inner voice disputed her decision to let the fox trespass, knowing it was _really_ risky to break dorm rules on the very first night before classes, but it would just weigh too heavy on her conscience if she left the sulking fox alone and potentially ruined his rocky relationship. Plus it would be awkward if she ever ran into the fox again. Judy felt like it was the right thing to do. Plus, it would earn her a new friend.

 

“Just please use the side door to leave before 10 pm tonight, if not the alarm will sound, and like I said you’re technically not allowed in here, so...”

 

"Absolutely!" He whispered as he gave her a salute. Then he smoothly snuck down the hallway, and was suddenly out of sight.

 

Judy smiled to herself. She felt great. To her, helping others was truly a joy. 

 

How could mammals treat all foxes so unfairly, anyway? I mean yeah, there was Gideon, but he was just _one rotten apple_ out of the bunch, right?

 

Judy hopped upstairs with ease and contemplated on her next move- thankfully her next day outfit, book bag, lunch snacks and utensils were all prepped and ready for Monday morning.

 

"All in a day's work," she murmured quietly to herself so as to not wake the sleeping sheep across the room. Judy slipped into comfortable pajamas, a white tank top and blue gym shorts, dusted off her feet, and took a long sip from a water bottle sitting on her desk near her bed. Once under her fluffy comforter, she set an alarm for 6 am sharp, snuggled into the addicting warmth of her pillow, and closed her eyes to drift easily off to sleep.

 

That was, until the fire alarm sounded.

 

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My first chapter in the series, hopefully it is as enjoyable as to you as it is to myself! Thank you for giving it a read! Comments are appreciated <3


	2. Foxy Shenanigans

"Wh- _what in the?!_ " Judy jolted out of bed at the sound of the ear piercing alarm, instantly pulling her ears down in an attempt to mute its continuous holler. She gritted her teeth as the pitch of the alarm was quite literally painful. Having the fantastic hearing abilities of a bunny wasn’t exactly advantageous in this scenario.

“What’s going on?!” Bellwether jumped up with a shriek, searching chaotically over her desk for her glasses.

Despite the way the rabbit held down her ears it was no use, she was just as immune to the alarm as if they were uncovered. After releasing them, Judy picked up a distinct _click_ sound overhead, followed by a harsh downpour of water coming from the ceiling sprinklers. Judy grunted and, in annoyance and a rush of blood pumping adrenaline, leapt forth to grab Bellwether’s arm. “It’s a fire, let’s move!” she shouted, pulling the sheep towards the door and returning her paws over her ears as they bolted out of the room— only to find other mammals of all sizes in the hallway yelping and rushing to the nearest staircase with them.

The jet streams of icy cold water followed them along, even greeting them down the stairwell, soaking every girl scrambling to escape the dormitory building. _Where was the fire coming from?_ A large armadillo slipped and tumbled over a fallen squirrel, a domino-effect which elicited a mad stampede. The unorganized scramble may have been prevented perhaps if a fire alarm drill was mentioned in the earlier hall meeting, but there was no use entertaining 'what ifs.' Being considerably agile and small, Judy managed to slip between large mammals and leap over the fallen casualties. Although the steps along the four-story flight of stairs were dripping and her skull was pounding with the sound of screams, she didn't let herself fall, gripping onto the rails and pushing herself up whenever her footing was off.

Breathless, she reached the lobby ground mostly unhindered despite a rapidly beating heart and shivering exterior. It seemed to the soaking wet bunny that the worst part of the building escape was over.

 

Until she skated across the lobby floor uncontrollably.

 

As suds of bubbly foam formed beneath her feet, she realized the lobby floor was coated in ropes of _dish soap_.

 

Judy yelped when she collided onto the floor near the unmanned front desk, wincing at the impact against her side. _That was going to leave a bruise_. Smoothly she recovered and pushed herself onto her feet, knees wobbling slightly as she kept her balance on the slippery surface.

Resounding shrieks behind her signaled the approach of the stampede of girls to the lobby. Judy held onto the front desk counter when her ears perked up, and turned rapidly with a raised paw. “Stop running! You’ll slip, the floor’s covered in…!” But her warning was no use, the alarm overshadowed her call as the other girls slipped and slid about the lobby haphazardly, some gripping onto lobby furniture while the lesser fortunate collapsed.

 

Bravely, the bunny skillfully skated over the slick floors and lent a helping paw to all the fallen mammals she could, including a half-asleep hippo, panicked lion, and wildly confused mice. Her altruistic tendencies always took over in emergencies like these. The mammals she managed to help thanked her repeatedly, and with some assisted coordination, Judy helped them to the main exit of the building with the rest of the occupants.

 

It was clear at this point that this wasn’t a typical fire drill but instead some kind of deliberate act.

 

Despite the lack of a threat of an actual fire, the blaring sirens were enough to encourage the residents to disband out of the building. Even without any helpful resistance against the floor several determined girls, Judy included, pushed the double glass doors of the main exit and finally barged outside.

 

An unexpected crowd was there to greet them all.

 

_A fraternity._

 

"You've alllll been pranked, _Alpha Preda style!_ " A large lion bellowed with paws on either side of his mouth before erupting in laughter, triggering a wave of laughs from the large group of male predators, large and small. Each wore matching maroon sweaters, watching the slew of girls panting, soaked, and struggling, all apparently for their personal amusement. Some were even recording the ordeal live on their phones for Furbook or Instagrowl.

 

It didn't take long for all of the residents to make it outside, only for them to catch onto the reason for their struggle as they witnessed the group of fraternity guys laughing their heads off. All the dorm girls including the resident assistants were dripping and covered in bubbles from the waist down, eyes wide in disbelief.

 

" _Fuckin’ good one aye, Wilde!_ " a polar bear praised, patting the familiar fox on the back, followed by a weasel who pounded his paw. An on looking hyena, arms crossed and leaning against a tree, chuckled to himself at the event unfolding.

 

"...and _that_ , fellas,” The red fox grinned wickedly, dangling a bottle of dish soap in one paw and a lighter in the other, “…is the fastest way to get a girl _wet_."

 

He smirked as his group hollered in response, the girls looking on incredulously.

 

“This fox got jokes!” A smaller fennec fox laughed with paws on his stomach, bent over and wiping a tear from his eye in his amusement.

A furious cheetah almost pounced at the crowd of filming frat guys, and would’ve definitely attacked if it weren’t for her friends holding her back and calming her down with words of reason. Some of the girls stood like a deer in headlights in their embarrassment and shock, which influenced flustered resident assistants to bring the stunned girls back in. The majority returned inside as the alarms and sprinklers automatically shut off, bracing themselves for another journey across the soap trap. Judy however was in the minority, standing still as she concluded that the so-called friendly fox from before had played her for a fool. A familiar anger boiled in her, burning her face and tips of her ears.

“Fucking assholes!” Pepper shouted, flipping off the crowd before heading back in behind others who also glared at the predators and murmured profanities under their breaths.

 

“C’mon, let’s get back inside,” A trembling Bellwether vulnerably murmured to the rabbit still eyeing down the fraternity, who didn’t seem to pay her any mind. “…J-Judy?”

 

Judy's paws were balled into fists so strongly her knuckles probably whitened beneath grey fur, her face twisted in a grimace as she slowly stomped towards the familiar fox wearing the wide grin just ahead. Bellwether gasped and tried to stop her, but hesitated, and instead watched on nervously beside a few remaining girls.

 

The frat watched the small bunny make her way in soaked pajamas with an amused curiosity, including Nick himself, who sat on a nearby outdoor picnic table with his legs spread and paws stuffed in his jacket pockets.

 

Bushy tail shivering and all, Judy stood directly in front of him at eye level, some of his friends still recording. The furious bunny could care less.

 

“ _You_ ,” she hissed, eyes narrowed. She wanted to wipe that charmingly _stupid_ look off of his face. With her fists.

 

“Yes, darling?” He answered mockingly, his eyes freely wandering over her wet body with the intention to piss her off further, but she ignored it.

 

“You- you _liar!_ ” She stomped on the grass beneath her feet, so hard that the bottle of soap on the ground beside Nick's feet tumbled over. “You used me to pull this… this stupid prank for your dumb _fraternity_? On innocent freshman girls? What is _wrong_ with you?”

 

He gave a blasé shrug.

 

"I’ll have you know that you broke code 24C of the ZU student handbook, the one that states it is punishable to pull a fire alarm if there is no true emergency,” the anger in her made her voice sound much more powerful than she looked, a surging confidence that the listening predators around her didn’t expect in such a small animal, nevertheless a bunny. “You’re in _huge_ trouble, slick.”

 

The predators around her were either amused or admittedly dumbfounded by her dominance. A peculiar aura of authority not normally attributed to prey was prevalent in her, that was for sure. The fox looked slightly impressed, and presented a smug, calm smile. "Actually, I'll have to correct you there- code 24C only explicitly applies to students that live on campus. I don't."

 

Her mouth went agape for a moment as she gathered a proper rebuttal. "An exception to that is if the university student snuck in to commit the offense! Also, there wasn’t a probable cause for pulling the alarm!”

 

A semblance of seriousness appeared over the fox’s features as he lifted his gaze from her matted fur and soaked clothes, which clung against her chest and stomach, to meet her fiery eyes. His eyes narrowed slightly, but he wouldn’t lose his cool. “That’s right,” He nodded, pushing himself onto his feet so that he stood tall over the bunny, probably a maneuver to intimidate her. She responded by stepping closer to him to show him she was going to stand her ground although the primitive remnants of her brain were commanding her to flee. "But technically, you let me in. As your welcomed guest." Then he intentionally paused, his voice taking on a condescending tone as he stroked his chin. “Oh, wait- not as a guest. You _helped_ me sneak in, so you broke a rule too.”

 

Judy was livid. Her nose twitched furiously, her foot tapping away beneath her.

 

"Also for pulling the alarm— I guess I must have tripped," he spoke in a sarcastic tone and shrugged, his tone feigning innocence similar to the one he used to earn her trust. "Probable cause: a cause that is probable. Tripping in a hallway is certainly probable,” he winked, and his friends laughed, even rooting him on. “You can't touch me, Carrots."

 

She grunted out loud, rattling her brain for a rebuttal she couldn’t find. “You… you _tricked_ me!”

 

"It's called a hustle, sweetheart," the fox taunted before high-fiving a few guys, all of them chuckling and following his lead as he turned and left the scene. Judy watched the posse head off, her head now hanging low. Tears burned in her eyes, threatening release, but she refused to let them fall even if it killed her.

 

Bellwether slowly assumed to her side with a frown, bringing a hand onto Judy’s shoulder. “Judy…”

 

“It’s all my fault,” the bunny huffed, trying her best not sniffle. Sniffling always brought on the waterworks. 

 

“You’re one of the bravest mammals I know, Judy.”

 

The bunny brought her paws up to wipe her eyes fast, shaking her head. “He outsmarted me. Made us look ridiculous, even got his dumb gang to film it all.” She whined, thankful her fur was wet enough to conceal any sign of her overpowering emotions.

 

The sheep sighed deeply. “From now on… let's just stay away from those jerks. We've got more important stuff to worry about. Remember, I’ve always got your back, girl.” Bellwether consoled. “C’mon. Let’s head back upstairs and clean ourselves up,” she led her by the paw back inside. Judy nodded in defeat, but she knew that it was definitely not the last time she’d see that fox.

 

She would make sure of that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, the art of hazing. Just kidding, bullying ain't cool kiddies. I wanted to publish the first two chapters together to make the beginning a bit more coherent, especially with a cliffhanger on the very first chapter. Somewhat short chapter here but I hope to post weekly. Anyway, comments are encouraged! :D


	3. Rise to Fame

 

After the glorious fiasco that was Nicholas Wilde’s start-of-the-semester prank at Hornstein hall, the Alpha Predators decided it was only fair to treat the rebelliously gutsy fox to a round of beers that night at the off-campus frat house.

Things were starting off great for Nick, having received tons of kudos and respect from burly predators that beforehand, barely acknowledged him; all for masterminding a trick on so many unsuspecting freshies— even the head alpha of the fraternity, a callous hyena nicknamed Fang, had called it one of the best tricks he’d seen in a while.

Every year one of the lower ranking members were dared to creatively prank freshmen targets, and Nick seemed to pass the test with flying colors.

Just over the events of one glorious night, he already felt like he was accepted as a high ranking member of the group, being the smallest compared to the leading lions, tigers, and bears— not counting Fang, however, who was nearly the same size as the fox.

Already it was morning, the first day of classes at ZU for the fall semester.

Not that Wilde was looking forward to it. He was naturally nocturnal, after all.

Nick shook off any inklings of a hangover as he rolled out of bed with a groan. It only took him about ten minutes to freshen up and get dressed into already worn clothes, giving himself an admiring look in the mirror before he was out the door. With his tail high and swaying behind him, Nick gracefully strutted outside and onto campus proudly exhibiting his notorious jersey colors and rugged, dark green book bag slung over only one of his shoulders, a handsome look of indifference painted over his face.

Eyes were definitely on him. Mammals whispered when he passed, cliques of girls greeted him left and right, some predators saluted him, and honestly he felt like the king of the university.

_About damn time._

In his newfound arrogance he disregarded anyone who he thought wasn’t worth his attention, yet it only seemed to make him look like an inspiration to some—or an untouchable wannabe-prick to others. Not that he gave two shits, really.

He easily located the Wolfhartt academic building where his first class would be, and didn’t bother to help any new students along the way who were clearly lost on campus. _Aww, being a freshie, the good old days…_

He was lucky to have knowledge of every building, nook, and cranny of the campus as well as the city since he was a local and a second year student. He knew everyone, save for any transfer or new students not from the area.

Either way Nicholas P. Wilde was a fast learner, a smooth talker, and a charmer. It wouldn’t be hard to show the newbies just who he was.

Nick swiftly made his way up to the second floor and glanced into the hallway which was nearly vacant since classes had just about started. And as usual, he was technically late. Once he entered room W202, he spanned the room for a seat near the back, his typical location of choice, but instead spotted _her_.

The bunny girl from last night— sitting up front with her notebook and pencil out and ready, clearly excited by the look of her nerdy smile and ears standing tall. Call it fate or call it chance, the forces that be had a sense of humor the fox appreciated. She glanced at the doorway and made brief eye contact with him, their eyes meeting for a solid second.

Her expression fell almost on cue and he grinned, making his way straight towards her without deliberation.

 

Like a predator going in for the kill.

.o0o.

 

Despite the absolute freak show her and all the other hall mates experienced the night before, Judy felt somewhat rejuvenated by morning. She managed to get up on time (although the ringing of her alarm clock elicited a reaction similar to the fire alarm), get her usual optimism levels back up (with the help of some morning meditation and a cup o’ joe), and felt ready to take on the world yet again.

Despite feeling quite emotional and vulnerable just hours prior she shook off any remnants of those hard feelings— there was just no way she’d let a practical joke ruin her chance to enjoy her first big day at ZU.

The well prepared sheep and bunny left their dorm for class together at 7:25 am sharp, more than half an hour before their first class would even start.

Perhaps they were being a bit overly ambitious considering they were the very first to get to the Wolfhartt building, but Judy thought nothing negatively of it. They did have to refer to the campus map and pace around to locate the building after all, considering both mammals were not familiar with the school grounds in the slightest. Judy definitely intended to change that soon.

“It doesn’t hurt to be safe, am I right?” Bellwether kidded, giving Judy a bashful smile as they entered the classroom: a sizely lecture hall with rows of seats, each facing three wide chalk boards and a table. The two sat front and center and Judy began to take out her essentials: a pink spiral notebook ( _check_ ), two sharpened pencils ( _check_ ), carrot eraser ( _check_ ).

Bellwether only brought out a thin silver laptop, a lavish accessory the bunny wasn’t exactly used to seeing in classroom settings. She ogled at it for a few seconds until her roommate acknowledged the stare.

“Digital interfaces are better for the environment, you know,” she stated as she polished her glasses with her navy blazer, a rather expensive-looking fabric. It didn’t occur to the rabbit until now that Bellwether may have come from a wealthy family, or at least one much better off than her own. “You should really consider using yours and ditching paper all together. I’m guessing you left yours at the room?”

“Uh, whoops? Yeah… silly me, hah,” Judy laughed tensely with the hope she sounded believable. She didn’t own one. Just getting a cell phone as a gift from her parents was a big deal, let alone a laptop, and she didn’t get it until late high school.

As the clock ticked, the room gradually filled with mammals of all kinds as the time neared the start of class. Now that she thought of it, her pink plaid button-up top and deep blue jeans weren’t as fashionable as many of the other girls that flooded into the room independently or in small groups. However she tried not to become distracted by the sudden insecurity.

Internally Judy was still considerably excited and admittedly a little nervous. Her eyes ran laps between the clock and the door as she grew impatient. The room bustled with voices as animals chatted away, not too many concerned that it had just struck 8 am, and there wasn’t a sign of an instructor.

Judy preoccupied herself by doodling along the margins of her paper, but every few seconds she would glance up to the classroom doors.

At the sound of the doors swinging open Judy sat upright with her head high and her ears even higher. She flashed her best smile fully expecting the professor but instead locked eyes with the last mammal she wanted to see— _him_.

The prankster.

 _God, no no please_. The bunny’s stomach sunk and she immediately averted her eyes to the doodles in her notebook. Did he notice her, or was that just her imagination? _What’s this jerk doing in criminal justice 101?_

Judy could hear his footsteps, each footfall deliberately heavy, as he neared her direction. She groaned silently, her eyes fixed on the scribble of a ZPD badge with her name on it as she listened to him take the seat just behind her. Just her luck.

“I forgot to ask for your name,” he divinely cooed from behind her head, leaning forward so his snout was just inches away from her. It made the bunny tense up immediately.

“Don’t talk to me,” she nearly hissed, not turning in her seat to face him. She figured he was wearing that stupid, shit-eating grin just like the one he wore last night. “I’m not going to entertain you.”

“Aw, Carrots,” he sighed playfully, comfortably leaning back in his chair. “But I’m already entertained.” His voice was velvety smooth as he watched her demeanor change drastically— from dread to rage in a matter of seconds. Her ears were no longer happily perked upwards, and her shoulders even slumped a little.

Nick chuckled softly as she adjusted herself in her seat and tried her best to ignore him, but he considered it a challenge.

Without a doubt, Wilde liked to invoke emotional turmoil, and just couldn’t pass up this rich opportunity to gas her fire even further.

He eyed the fluffy tail poking out from the back of her seat and decided to prop his heels up on either side of it. As sure as he was that she knew what he was doing, there was still no reaction from her. _Where was the satisfaction in that?_ So he gave the cute bushy tail just begging to be touched a bold nudge with his foot.

Pleasantly soft, better than he expected. It even twitched in surprise beneath his toes, and he pulled away when Judy finally turned, her eyes revealing her restrained yet bubbling anger. _Oh, if looks could kill._

Bellwether, who was mildly aware of the situation, glared over her shoulder at the pestering fox as well. From both of their looks he got the message, flashing his sharp teeth in an insincere apologetic smile. “Oh dear. I think my foot slipped.”

"Look,” Judy spoke through gritted teeth with all the patience she could muster, her eyes on the fox who tilted his head to listen. “The professor should be arriving any minute now. So _stop_. Or I’ll make you."

He chuckled genuinely at her threat and shook his head patronizingly, "Geez Carrots, you are new. Don't you know, most college professors don't arrive on time… like ever?"

She looked at him a bit puzzled, almost appalled at the thought of tardiness being normal— for teachers, no less. Nick couldn’t help but stifle a laugh at the dumbfound look on her face. "I...didn't know that," she quietly admitted, more to herself than him.

Nick shrugged. “Well, not all that surprised really…” He raised a brow. “… _dumb bunny_.” He blissfully watched as she stiffened up, her small fists clenched on her desk.

She wanted to kill him. Right there, right then— but that would only remain a fantasy, perhaps in a Zootopia where laws didn’t exist and she didn’t want to be a cop. A silly thought.

She was unbelievably flustered, disregarding how close she was at snapping the pencil in her paw.

“Ignore him,” Bellwether whispered to her roommate. Judy nodded stiffly, loosening her grip on the poor pencil she strangled. _Yeah, he’ll get bored of bothering me eventually_ , she figured as she kept her eyes and ears on the door. Yet she was unconvinced.

The time was 8:10 am when the teacher finally entered the class room, and not in any apparent rush either. Judy stood in her seat to properly see Dr. Castor, a beaver clad in a button up and loose tie, whose entry brought the loud class to a considerable mumbling silence.

The professor began by writing her name, room number, and office hours on the chalk board. Her voice was tired and slightly unimpressed with class, but she had an underrated sense of humor Judy actually admired. She continued by reviewing the class syllabus, assigned a chapter reading, and before Judy knew it she dismissed class a whole forty minutes early.

She wasn’t sure if she was more surprised that class ended so quickly, or that the fox had not bothered her for the remainder of it.

As she packed her belongings away in her bag, Judy watched the frat fox disapprovingly as he quickly slipped out of the classroom behind some other students. “ _Dumb fox_ ,” she murmured to herself, shoving her notebook in a bit harshly.

.o0o.

The rest of the day was a fortunate improvement, although her psychology and sociology classes started a few minutes late and ended early like the first. Bellwether was only in her first class, a fact that allowed Judy to socialize with other mammals like she had hoped. Easily she made new friends in each period, some even exchanging Furbooks with her to keep in touch.

By noon she was done for the day and was actually relieved that the first day of the semester wasn’t nearly as hardcore as she imagined. Socializing seemed to be going smoothly and for that the bunny was thankful.

Although, if it wasn’t for that horrible fox this morning, she may have jeopardized her good standing as a student, let alone her sanity _._

 **(1:16 pm)**    **J: In the Crane Café if you want to meet up :)**

Judy texted Bellwether swiftly between sips of a raspberry lemonade.

**(1:25 pm)   D: Hey!! I’m also free. Come find me at the Diversity Centre. Main office!!!**

It was quite a walk from the café to the building Dawn had mentioned, but the young bunny didn’t mind it one bit. She was really starting to get the feel of ZU, being in the middle of the fast-paced and sunny campus amongst so many others that weren’t the familiar inhabitants of Bunnyburrow. It was refreshing. She curiously watched some mammals playing Frisbee on the lawn, of which she managed to catch the soaring disk and pass it to a thankful horse. Along the way she admired the scattered groups mingling on the benches, mammals napping in tree hammocks, and couples snacking at picnic tables. The buzzing atmosphere was everything she dreamed of and more.

Once she arrived at the Diversity Centre, which was clearly one of the newer buildings added to the campus edge, she entered the lobby and was called over by a reindeer behind the front desk. “ID please?”

“Sure,” Judy pulled the ID clipped onto her lanyard and handed it over to the reindeer, who examined it briefly before handing it back. “Where’s the main office?”

“Down this hall, can’t miss it,” he sighed in a bored tone, clicking away at his computer monitor. Judy continued down the hall until she heard the faint sound of a familiar shrill voice.

“Dawn?” She peeked in, and found Bellwether speaking to some other students Judy hadn’t met yet.

“Oh, it’s Judy! This is my roommate, the one I mentioned,” the small sheep smiled as she waved her over to join, and Judy didn’t hesitate. “Judy, these are some of the kind mammals I met in my philosophy course today.”

“Heya, I’m Mabel,” a black sheep greeted, smiling timidly. “I’m a sophomore.”

“Hey! I’m Judy Hopps, nice to meet you!” Judy sweetly greeted.

“Oooo, you’re so _cute_ ,” someone squealed, a stocky cheetah behind her to be exact. “I’m Benjamin Clawhauser. Most people just call me Ben though. Nice to meet ya!” He shook Judy’s paw.

Judy laughed awkwardly, returning the shake. “Nice to meet you too, Benjamin. But uh, you see, only bunnies can call other bunnies cute. When _other mammals_ do it…” She cringed.

Clawhauser blinked in realization. “O-M goodness! I am sooo sorry, Judy! I haven’t actually met many rabbits here in Zootopia, although I’m a junior. So I guess I’m new to bunny manners.” He apologized with an embarrassed grin.

“What do you mean, there aren’t many bunnies here in ZU at all?” She asked, certainly surprised that the diverse campus wouldn’t have plenty of students of every species. But judging from her jog through campus, it only proved his speculation.

He shook his head. “Not really. Uh, well actually there is one other I can think of.”

“Sooo I finally signed the papers for making the new club, girl! I think I’m gonna call it _Pawlitics and Law_ club, or PL for short. Too cheesy?” Bellwether gushed in excitement with paperwork in hoof. “But I can’t think of a catchier name. Ben and Mabel say they’re in!”

“Well, whatcha think?” Clawhauser turned to the rabbit, munching away at a donut he pulled out of a paper bag. “You in?”

“Um,” The bunny paused for a moment and replied with a hesitated nod. She didn’t really intend on joining the club as a concrete member so soon on, but she wanted to agree just for the sake of staying on good terms with her roommate. “Y-yeah. It’s my sorta thing, anyway. It’s just…” She fondled her shoulder nervously.

Clawhauser’s eyes widened as he examined her closely. “Holy donuts with sprinkles- are you _that_ bunny, from that Furbook livestream last night? I _knew_ I recognized you- you’re like a university celeb right now! Everyone’s talking about it.” He gasped, completely cutting Judy off without really realizing it.

Judy was slightly taken aback by his words but was admittedly flattered. “Wait, really? I guess I have noticed some weird stares today.” She thought back on the walk over to the building as Clawhauser nodded furiously.

Dawn giggled, “Sorry Judy, if you haven’t picked up on it Ben really likes to stay up to date with all the campus chit chat. You really were pretty _awesome_ confronting those fraternity jerks last night in front of all those livestreaming phones and all.”

“I mean sure, if by awesome you mean totally humiliated by that fox,” Judy rolled her eyes at the memory but in surprisingly good humor.

“Oh, you mean Nick Wilde?” Clawhauser swallowed his last bite of donut almost forlornly. “He’s a bit of a character, one of the predator heart throbs of the campus. Also seems like his status since he joined Alpha Preda last year has gone up judging by all the attention he’s getting.” He proceeded by sucking the sprinkle dust from his finger pads. “By the way, I’m so _so_ sorry that even happened. But if it makes you feel better, something like that typically happens every year.”

“Yeah, really sorry Judy!” Mabel apologized meekly. “Last year they made a weasel sneak into the building with a creepy mask on, nearly scared half of us girls to death.”

Judy listened to their words and smiled softly. “It’s okay, really. And thanks, I just couldn’t stand there and let those jerks laugh without some kind of backlash- I just had to face them head on, even though they still got away with it in the end.” She pouted. “I’m still thinking of a way to get back at that fox…”

“Seriously?” Bellwether half laughed, half asked incredulously. “Judy, you’re way too good to waste your time on some no-good preds. Take your frustrations out on them by helping PL improve legislation for the school— that way, Alpha Preda won’t continue their annual prank tradition.”

“You’re right, Dawn,” Judy agreed smoothly, giving a kind smile although the rebellious gears in her head had already begun churning. She already started mentally guaranteed some kind of payback for Wilde, and there wasn’t a chance she was going to let him get away with his antics without some actual consequence.

It was only justice.

“Well let’s talk business, when does the club meet?”

.o0o.

 

Weaselton grumbled as he knocked hard on a wooden door painted olive green, a laundry basket full of dry, clean, folded clothes in his other paw. He waited impatiently for it to swing open and stepped into the abode, dropping the basket off into larger clawed hands.

“Thaaanks, buddy! I see you making your way up the ranks in no time— I’ll put in a good word for ya,” Nick Wilde thanked in a sardonic fashion, his eyes scrutinizing the quality of the washed clothes as he lifted a pair of boxers for inspection. Even gave them a sincere sniff before smiling down at the weasel. “Perfecto.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Duke grunted, crossing his arms. “Tell anyone about this—“

“No worries, pal,” Nick assured smoothly, a toothy grin growing on his muzzle. “Hopefully Fang’s clothes look just as squeaky clean, too. You should consider working room service.” Although Nick wasn’t sure if the weasel indeed washed Fang’s stuff, he just loved to get under a mammal’s skin and watch the aftermath, kind of like setting a city on fire and watching it burn from a comfy hilltop. Duke’s face twisted and ultimately flashed the fox a strained smile.

“Funny guy,” he muttered distastefully before he split from the apartment, and Nick shut the door behind him with an expression of amusement.

“You’re pretty ballsy, toying with Duke Weaselton like he’s dinner like that,” came a low voice from behind the fox. Finnick stood there, in the space between the kitchen and the living room, snacking on some cheese doodles.

“I have no clue what you mean,” he shrugged nonchalantly at the smaller fox, lifting the basket again and making his way to his bedroom.

It was probably the case that the newfound publicity was getting over his head. He somewhat recklessly dumped the clothes into semi-empty dresser drawers before shutting them, humming a tune fondly to himself.

It wasn’t so much long ago that Nick had been doing the chores for Fang and his right hand man, Griffin the polar bear. Which for the record required a substantial amount of detergent he could barely afford, not to mention how ridiculously long it took to wash clothes fit for a bear. Last semester was an absolute nightmare for the fox but there was no use in reminiscing it; he just appreciated his current status upgrade and the perks that came with it.

There was a distinct _ding_ sound that came from across the messy room. Nick walked over to his bed and lounged forward onto his stomach, taking up his phone charging besides his pillow.

**(8:26 pm)   F: Welcome to The Jungle. Friday Night. See you then, Wilde.**

A text from Fang. His large black-tipped ears lifted up in pleasant surprise, the bristles of his fur nearly standing up on end on his neck.

 

This weekend was about to get a lot more interesting.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again! Anyone giving my story a read- thank you, it really means a lot! This story does focus on the relationship between Nick and Judy, but where's the fun in a poorly rushed romance? I prefer having them annoy the hell out of each other first :D Comments are the best!


	4. Checkmate

The rest of Monday and Tuesday of her first week went more than just smoothly for Judy, they were a  _blessing_.

A generous amount of new friends from several different social circles were earned due to the bunny's outgoing and amicable personality. She seemed to have made quite a name for herself on campus as the brave freshman that stepped up to the predators of Alpha Preda like no prey mammal had done before her. Mammals started to call her  _the brave bunny of Hornstein Hall_  or  _the almighty Judy Hopps_ , which strangely made her proud as much as it made her laugh at how entirely silly it was. Other prey especially admired her for her display of assertiveness, something many believed set her apart from them.

Random strangers would high-five her between classes or snap a quick selfie with her in celebration of the gutsy confrontation; a star struck giraffe even bought her a coffee from Snarlbucks after insisting she deserved it. She was not at all used to the attention but the bunny knew better than to complain after all of her wishing for it.

Things were definitely looking up, however, she didn't fail to neglect the existence of a new enemy— a treacherous fox by the name of Nicholas Wilde, a predator whom was backed by his menacing group of  _even larger_  predators, a group apparently created to honor all predator species universally and continue their ancient traditions of alpha-male dominance and supposed brotherly unity.

Judy didn't care about Nick's overblown reputation in the trending fraternity or how he was revered as a force to be reckoned with by all the experienced upper-class students that witnessed his slow rise to fame.

To her he was just some smart-alecky jerk desperate for popularity at the expense of other more vulnerable mammals' self-esteems. For his distasteful stunt he didn't deserve praise or recognition, yet he received all of it, even acted like he owned the school. The doe wanted nothing more than to see his ridiculous reign over the university crash and burn like a field of infested crops.  _Yes_ , she mentally equated him to buggy crops. And rightfully so.

Thankfully she didn't see him again for the entire day on Tuesday but that didn't keep his name from popping up constantly in conversation. Clawhauser, Mabel, as well as other mammals didn't fail to update her on all the hearsay on campus which seemed to revolve around Alpha Preda and its popular members.

At the Tuesday afternoon PL meeting in the Diversity Centre, Clawhauser went on to tell Judy and Bellwether about the traditions of the campus, the social climate, and ultimately the newest, juiciest gossip. Apparently there was going to be a  _huge party_  exclusive to all those close to the university seniors, popular mammals of ZU included.

"Fang's the one throwing it this year- he's like the Alpha's ring leader, basically. He's also a super senior, been here for like 6 years and counting. Crazy right? Did I mention he looked at me once? Oh, it was so spiritual." Clawhauser sighed longingly, pretending to wipe a tear from his eye for dramatic effect. Nothing more to be expected from the cheetah, being a third year theatre major with a peculiar minor in forensic science.

"The party is gonna be at this place called  _The Jungle_ , it's this old house off campus that's been used for ZU parties for  _yeeaars_. I tried to sneak in last time, and by-golly, that wasn't pretty. Got thrown out fast," Mabel laughed embarrassingly, curling a wad of dense dark wool by her ear. 

"That's nice guys, but we still have to assign a VP, secretary, and treasurer before 5 pm today," Bellwether reminded with a stack of papers cradled in an arm and pen anxiously clicking between her hoof-tips. The newfound club would have access to their own little cubicle in the main office, desktop and all, once they assigned these positions and got some paperwork done. "I'll be the president, obviously. Judy, since you were the first person I invited to PL, wanna choose a position first?"

"Oh uh— sure," she cleared her throat, her mind still dwelling on the party house gossip.

The old Judy Hopps wouldn't have cared very much about a frivolous party thrown by pranksters, but this Judy felt much different now. She definitely wanted in on the event, although according to its exclusionary reputation she knew it wouldn't be likely. Secretly keeping tabs open in her mind on the interesting info the cheetah and black sheep shared, the bunny tried to seem focused on the responsible issue at hand.

"I'd like to be… treasurer." She nodded confidently, intentionally deciding on the easiest role that didn't require much more than authorizing a few signatures for club budget expenses here and there. Her decision earned her a confused look from the white lamb.

Clawhauser elected himself as the VP and Mabel wanted to be the secretary, which meant the club could finally finalize their paperwork. It all worked out despite Bellwether's mild hesitance to submit the papers, probably hoping that her roommate would be the VP, but it was all decided.

" _Ooo_ , now we can advertise ourselves at Activities Night next week! We'll look so official," Clawhauser clapped elatedly. According to him, Activities Night was a university event where all the other clubs, teams, fraternities, and so on inhabited the gymnasium kind of like a convention to invite new members.

"Ha great, let's all mark that down in our planners then! What day is it on?" The pearl-colored sheep flapped open her small tablet and its respective pen to note it in her digital calendar.

"Next Wednesday, me thinks?" The darker sheep replied, her guess confirmed by an enthusiastic nod from Ben.

Judy pretended to mark it down in her own small planner, but instead scribbled solely within the box for Friday night:  _Party at The Jungle._

 

.o0o.

 

Times were definitely looking up for the bunny, but like all good things, it was only temporary.

In her fastidious desire to attend the Saturday night party she heard so much about, she tried to use her status as  _the brave bunny of Hornstein_  to hopefully land her an invite. Judy sent out instant messages to a few seniors she'd befriended or other mammals she suspected were probably in attendance, and although they truly admired her for her actions, they all declined. Some were nice about it, explaining that they weren't really allowed to let freshmen in, whereas others were more discourteous by rejecting her outright or sending her paragraphs of laughing emojis.

Wednesday morning arrived and Criminal Justice 101 was to start as usual, 8 am sharp. As feared the devious fox appeared again, much to the freshman bunny's dismay when she spotted him strutting into the lecture hall.

" _Morning_   _Nicky_!" Some girl called out from the seats in an effort to seem either flirtatious or funny as he entered, causing the back of the class to stir in a chorus of comical cheers and laughter. Judy along with Bellwether only rolled their eyes, the former picking up her pencil to continue her sketch of flowers that were traditionally grown in the Hopps garden from sheer memory.

Nick arrogantly bowed towards his fan and pretended to tip an imaginary hat in her direction before he assumed his original seat behind the rabbit at the front row. His pretentious gesture alone caused a riot of chuckles and gag-worthy romantic sighs that filled the room.

"Missed me, cute stuff?" He asked in a provocatively low purr, a question clearly directed at his fellow student seated ahead of him.

" _In your dreams_ , Wilde." Judy quipped without missing a beat, turning around to rival his beryl eyes with her own bold amethyst pair, clearly prepared to face him again this time. She wanted him to know that she wasn't intimidated by him in the slightest, in fact she was daring enough to endure whatever he wanted to throw her way.

"Aw, I'm sure you dream about me, Carrots. Pretty lewd of you to mention in public though," he hummed effortlessly as he fished a notebook out of his bag, a ratty black spiral book seemingly used before. "I'm touched, really. So in your fantasies do I top or bottom?"

" _Ugh_ ," the bunny scoffed in lieu of a solid rebuttal. He said nothing more, only grinning at her with lidded eyes as she spun forward in her chair with an expression of disgust. Judy cherished the moments of silence between herself and the predator behind her, although she couldn't shake off the feeling that he had his eyes on her still.

Nick repeated his previous offense by lifting his heels onto the back of her seat, but this time instead of antagonizing the cute tuft on her rear end, he started pushing her chair forward by extending his legs.

Judy's dark tipped ears perked up as the forward motion startled her. Her instinct was to resist his force by using her feet to hold her chair in place, but her toes were far from reaching the floor beneath her.  _Seriously?_  Being a short mammal at a time like this made her wish it wasn't so. Quickly she sunk down off her seat until her feet planted onto the floor, her paws holding the seat behind her as she used her heels to push back against him with a small grunt.

The bunny was stronger than he would've guessed since she managed to stop her seat from moving any further, much to his dismay. So he stopped his pushing and let her regain her seat.

Judy huffed, crossing her arms over her desk and laying her head down in frustration, her ears drooping against her back.  _Ignore him, and he'll get bored of you._

Meanwhile, Nick opened his notebook and flapped through the pages. Judy listened to the sound of a sheet being torn out of his book, which was then crumpled and tossed right onto her head.

At the very sensation of his aerial delivery, she wanted to groan out loud and attack him.  _What is this, high school?_

The rabbit exhaled sourly as she sat up and took the balled up sheet. Quietly she opened it underneath her desk, spreading the message open over her lap. She peeked at it after a moment of deliberation.

 

_Nice ass_.

 

Her ears burned fiercely from a flurry of anger and embarrassment and she hid them from sight by holding the two blushing appendages down either side of her face. It took a few seconds for her to gather herself. Once the burning fled, she tore the paper and balled up the pieces.

Nick watched as she reacted and brought a dark furred paw into his muzzle to hold back a husky laugh.

_What the hell was up with this guy?_  Judy was truly beginning to accept her fate of being a fox's punching bag. But this was different than Gideon's way of bullying, the stuff she was used to— like Gid's empty threats, occasional physical assault, taking things that didn't belong to him— but this was none of that. With Nick it was more like… some kind of twisted humor, maybe backhanded flirting?

Class begun soon thereafter once Dr. Castor entered, and Judy thanked the heavens for her arrival. The lesson this time around was pretty fast-paced and therefore difficult to follow, even to the overachieving bunny. She made sure to take an abundance of semi-coherent notes, all of which took up nearly four pages in her notebook until time had caught up; the professor dismissed the class with no class time to spare.

Things were definitely starting to pick up in her subjects and she had to remain sharp. That meant no entertaining any particularly vexing foxes. If she could help it.

On her way out of the classroom she made sure to toss Nick's inappropriate note into the trash, and after she had done so he made sure to match her stride. "I've got to thank you for making my prank the other night so easy to pull off. You're a real sport, Carrots."

Judy scowled up at him. " _Shut up_  already— and you're gonna wanna refrain from calling me Carrots."

Nick's vulpine smile widened, a paw taking a secure hold of the book bag straps over his shoulder. "Not something I can help, but truly. We make a great team. Got to appreciate how hilariously  _dumb_  you are."

The ashen bunny stopped dead in her tracks in response to his words, now standing in front of the Wolfhartt building main doors. "What's your deal, huh? You get some sick rise torturing mammals, me in particular?" She asked in exasperation, feeling wholly targeted for no good reason, and quite frankly tired of it. Why did he have to pick her to antagonize?  _Didn't he know that bunnies bite back?_

Nick paused, pretending to think before he nodded with a grin, indulging in her irritation. "Oh yeah. A hundred percent, Carrots."  _Oh, he knew—and he relished in her figurative biting._

"It's  _Judy_ ," she damn near growled, and he couldn't halt the expression of hilarity spreading over his features like wild fire.

"My bad," he chirped a laugh, stepping into the sunlight. "I just naturally assumed you came from some little carrot-choked Podunk. Am I wrong?" He challenged in a sweet tone that betrayed the intention of his words, before picking up his own stride down the pavement and leaving her behind.

She didn't hesitate to follow him, the farm bunny completely riled up.

"Uh  _no_ , Podunk is in Deerbrooke County and I grew up in Bunnyburrow." She corrected him immediately, her head raised proudly as she kept up with his pace. "I'll have you know that I was top at my class in my high school."

He scoffed skeptically. "Let's see how a hick bunny fares in Zootopia University. In a criminal justice class, no less," he adjusted his white collar and stuffed his paws deep into his jacket pockets, breaking eye contact with her to wink towards a group of on looking girls.

"E- _excuse me_?" Judy gasped, her fists clenching as they started to descend concrete stairs to the basement of another academic building. She shot daggers through her vision at him, unbelieving of how outwardly speciest he was being.

"Tell me if this story sounds familiar," he begun as he extended both paws and moved them in a rainbow-shape in front of him. "Naive little  _hick_  with good grades and big ideas decides, 'hey look at me, I'm gonna attend  _Zootopia University_ , where predators and prey attend in harmony and sing  _Kumbaya_!' Only to find - whoopsie - we  _don't_  all get along," he flashed her a stubborn look that was beyond amusement— it was complacency with the stunned look of hurt on her face. "And that dream of becoming a college graduate?  _Double whoopsie_! She's a drop out," he spoke confidently, Judy frowning at his verbal transgressions. "And whoopsie number three-sie?  _No one_  cares about her or her dreams."

He started to walk ahead of her again, and she combatted his speed by keeping up.

"Soon enough those dreams die and our bunny has no choice but to go back home with that  _cute fuzzy-wuzzy tail_  between her legs," he swayed his tail mockingly with his words, "to become... You're from Bunnyburrow, is that what you said? So how about a carrot farmer? Does that sound about right?" He deadpanned at her, then turned left down a hallway.

Speechless, she stood there processing his words, foot tapping restlessly beneath her, before the snowballing rage caught up. "Hey!" Judy sprinted forward. " _No one_  tells me what I can or can't be!" She stood her ground and pursued him, earning a curious look from the fox and others nearby who overheard her rigid voice. "Especially not some  _jerk_  who never had the guts to try and be anything more than some lame  _frat punk_!"

Nick blinked as he acknowledged her, laughing genuinely at how feisty she sounded. He was almost impressed, just like that night he first met her and she spoke to him the same way, absolutely fearless.  _It was cute._  Kind of a turn on, if he was honest with himself.

"All right, look." He leaned forward with his paws on his knees, giving a condescending smile down at her as her nose twitched uncontrollably. "Everyone comes to Zootopia University thinking they can major in anything they want, be anything they want. Well,  _you can't_. You can only be  _what you are_ ," he brought his paws up and pointed to his chest. "Sly fox," he then referred to Judy, "Dumb bunny."

Judy grimaced, her teeth bared almost like she was some kind of infuriated feral animal. "I. Am  _not_. A dumb bunny."

"Riiight. And you're not late for class."

Judy gasped, looking at her phone to verify it. He was right, it was 9:15 am. A whole fifteen minutes late for Psychology 101, all thanks to him.

Without further refutation she sprinted off.

"You'll never fit in. You're a cute freshman, though. Maybe a jobless graduate one day. Hang in there!" Nick chuckled aloud after her, watching her scurry madly to class practically on all fours.

 

.o0o.

 

_Today sucked._

Judy hung her head all day after the demeaning encounter, the fox's words spinning behind her skull over and over.

The remainder of her afternoon consisted of joining in on a small study group with Bellwether and others in the library. They noticed her glum mood but she denied it, bluffing with the best smile she could conjure. When her study buddies called it a night, Judy stayed behind until 8 pm to just be alone with her thoughts.

_Soon enough those dreams die and our bunny has no choice but to go back home with that cute fuzzy-wuzzy tail between her legs!_

She let her head fall onto the textbook she had splayed open, exhaling into it.

"I am a good student, I am a good student," she murmured tiredly into the pages before recognizing the sensation in her stomach- grumbling. She figured she should probably eat something soon.

Judy made a stop by a late night cafeteria called the Veggie Grill for dinner. Her meal consisted of stir fried veggies, a black bean wrap, and tomato soup. She would have opted for some carrots, but they were nowhere near the quality of the produce from the Hopps farm. She also considered a fruit smoothie, but wanted to be frugal with her meal plan, so she opted for a cheaper option, a bottle of water instead. The bunny scarfed her meal down quick, almost angrily, earning her some odd stares from a nearby table of seated impala.

Then it was off to the dormitory where a soothing shower awaited her. Underneath the showerhead a naked bunny hummed softly along with some music that played aloud from her phone, letting the hot water flood her senses. It seemed to do the trick; her muscles eased and she felt any previous burdens simply melt away for the time being.

Judy stepped into the fur drier for a few minutes and then into a long comfortable sleeping gown with an embroidered carrot symbol on the front. Courtesy of her mother, of course.

Once her teeth were cleaned and the fur of her ears were brushed, she stood in front of the bathroom mirror, giving a quick tilt of her torso so she could inspect her rear end in her reflection. She silently observed her round shape for a moment until she felt a poke on her shoulder.

The rabbit turned to look over her left shoulder, seeing no one, then instinctively turned to the other side to see a humored, familiar skunk.

"Hey Hopps," the fourth floor RA greeted with a laugh after taking the bunny slightly off guard.

"Hah," Judy turned to face her a bit abruptly. "Hey there. How goes it?"

"It goes," Pepper nodded warmly before her friendly demeanor became serious. "Just wanted to let you know that the other resident assistants found out that you were involved in that shitty Alpha Preda prank."

Judy's stomach sank in realization of the potential consequences. " _Oh no_ ," she gasped, "It was a mistake— that stupid frat tricked me into letting one of them in, but I know it was wrong and I'm  _so_  sorry—"

"Hold your horses, farm girl," Pepper cracked a grin as she shook her head, leaning back against the sink counter. "No one said that you're in trouble. I'm letting you get away with it. But just this one time, 'kay?" She wagged a black and white furred finger.

Judy's sighed in relief and leapt forward to bring the skunk tightly for quick hug, before realizing how entirely awkward that was, and stumbled back. "Oh my goodness, thank you! I don't even know what to say… sorry for the hug, I'm just really grateful." Her arms retreated flat against her sides.

Pepper choked out a snort, fixing the white bang over her left eye that became frizzed with Judy's manhandling. "Don't mention it. Just stay clear from those guys, they're all a bunch of trouble makers. Wilde literally just earned his second strike at the end of last semester, all to win some silly loyalty points with the Alpha preds," she rolled her eyes as she spoke about the fraternity with distaste.

To Judy's knowledge, a strike was basically a recorded warning the school gave those who broke a rule. Like a baseball game, three strikes, and you're out. Out of ZU, that is. Expelled permanently.

"They're all pathetic. Surprised Nick got away with this last prank. I guess no one wants to rat him out and get on the frat's bad side."

Judy made a mental note of what Pepper mentioned about Nick's record and thanked the skunk RA a final time before excusing herself for bed, where she decided to reread and highlight some lines in the ZU student handbook with an orange carrot highlighter. She did so with the flashlight mode on her phone so as not to disturb the sleeping Bellwether, who snored quietly underneath her pillow of hay.

The determined rabbit managed to discover some rather  _interesting_  things from the small book, stuff she knew would definitely come in handy.

Wilde didn't know what hell he had coming for him.

 

.o0o.

 

On Friday, the tables would turn.

Judy fully anticipated facing him Friday morning after Criminal Justice and was actually bummed that he was a no-show. It was pure luck that she happened to spot him from across the ZU main cafeteria late inthe evening, entering with a flock of Alpha predators just as she finished her meal with the PL group.

"I'm going in," Judy murmured to herself, her friends giving her puzzled looks as she stood from their table.

They watched curiously as she started to make her way towards the frat, flashing an innocent smile as some of the Alpha preds now seated at a long table began to notice her advance.

One Alpha member, a small fennec fox with large ears, elbowed the taller red fox seated beside him in the shoulder to get his full attention. "Yo. Hey, look. It's the bunny."

Nick turned to look, realizing she was standing right behind him, and his usual care-free expression dropped flat.

"Oh. We were just talking about you…  _Big-Booty-Judy_ ," Nick pursed his lips, less than thrilled to see her. He had come up with the name and shared his little creation with the guys who were definitely amused by it. She did say to refrain from saying 'Carrots,' after all.

"Ha ha, actually no, the name's Judy Hopps." The bunny kept composure as she corrected him. "I'm actually here to ask you to invite me to the party tonight." She didn't even stutter as she asked so straightforwardly, her voice sickly sweet.

Nick barked a laugh.

"Uh, can't you see I'm in the middle of lunch?" He lifted a half of his fish filet sandwich. "Anyway, there's no way a freshman could be invited,  _especially_  you. So yeah, you're cramping my style here, go ahead and hop along fluff. I think there's a carrot field somewhere that needs tending," he turned his head away and shooed her away with a paw, causing a mild rumble of titters from the table.

Judy's easy going smile flattened into a taut line, her brows coming together as she sighed. "Fine. Then I'll just have to do this the hard way." She revealed the student handbook that she had been holding behind her back, presenting the important sections she highlighted in neon orange to all that looked her way. "Nicholas Wilde, you're going to be  _expelled_."

His brows arched as his annoyed expression shifted into one of contained humor, glancing over the document she held like it was trivial. "Awww, for what? Hurting your feewings?" The fox's patronizing words slipped through visibly sharp teeth as he draped his elbow over the back of his chair.

"Fraternity hazing," she hummed pleasantly. "Yeaaah, seems every mammal on campus has video evidence of your little prank the other night, which is enough to prove you were the one behind it. I mean, I am just a  _dumb bunny_ , but according to your alleged academic record you've already gotten  _two strikes_."

In disbelief, he took the handbook from her and skimmed over it, dread filling his features as his dark-tipped ears dropped.

She watched gloriously as he froze in horror and swallowed thickly. "Unfortunately, if I ratted you out that would mean you'd get a third strike. Immediate expulsion," she tutted as she leaned closer to his face, studying him as he internally panicked.

"You were in on it too!" He hissed, the two practically nose to nose. "We'd  _both_  get strikes."

"My first, and your  _last_. Not exactly worth becoming a drop out, huh?" Eyes narrowed, she lightly hinted at his prediction that she'd be the one to fail. Oh t _he irony._  "So if you want to remain a student at ZU, you're going to help me get into this party tomorrow night," she lulled as she tilted her hips, resting her paws on them confidently to physically display her clear victory over the fox.  _"_ It's called a _hustle,_ sweetheart."

Nick was as disturbingly stunned as he was pissed, frowning as she smirked, his left ear twitching as he rattled his brain for a possible methodical escape from the corner she pushed him in. But it was no use and he realized it, in this moment he was at a complete loss for words and at the mercy of the prey standing before him. The King of ZU had met its match.

_Checkmate_. 

"She hustled you…" The tawny fox beside him started to chuckle, then the rich sound crescendoed. "She hustled you  _good_!"

The rest of the table started to laugh, the most rowdy and contagious of the laughter erupting from the fennec fox himself.

Nick's muzzle twisted into a grimace as he tried to disregard his fraternity basking in the glory of Judy's hustle. Green eyes glared at the infuriatingly cute bunny that waited on the admittance of his surrender, a surrender he truly didn't want to deliver. But he  _couldn't_  get another strike. He was already in two deep, and he didn't intend for his time at ZU to be cut short by some annoying, frustrating, dumb little bunny. The fox sighed heavily, shoulders sinking in his apparent defeat. "Alright, alright. You got me, fluff. What do you want, a friggin' invite?" He asked through gritted teeth, music to her ears.

"I want you make it up to every mammal you soaked with your immature prank. We  _all_  get to go to The Jungle. I get to bring who ever I want, and as many as I want. For free."

He stared at her for a long moment, surprised at how completely serious she was which confirmed how completely  _fucked_  he was. He looked over at Fang the hyena, who watched on in amusement and didn't protest nor attempt to defend him. "Fine! I'll make it up to all of you by inviting you losers to one of the biggest,  _baddest_  parties of the year. As long as you or any one of your lame-o friends don't rat me out or ruin the fun."

Although Judy wondered if she should milk this opportunity further and make him regret ever crossing paths with her to begin with, it simply wasn't in Judy's good nature. "Deal. Once your promise is met, then I'll consider not squealing to the university president," she spoke in a velvety voice, her arms crossed and ears high.

He glared at her until his face lightened up. "It's not exactly… a place for a  _cute little bunny_ ," he warned in a thoughtful, flirtatious tone, leaning in his seat so it rocked on its hind legs towards her.

Judy's brows fell slightly. "Don't call me cute. Now, give me some party details."

Nick laughed. "O-kayy, you're the boss. So uh, how about I get your number? I'll text you later on tonight, your group will meet up with mine, and we'll dazzle you with just the  _best_  college weekend any newbies at ZU have ever experienced." She didn't hesitate with taking out her phone and exchanging it with his. He smoothly entered his contact info as she entered hers on his larger phone, the screen on his cracked. "There ya go. See you tonight, Carrots."

Judy watched him skeptically before taking her phone and handbook back from him, then turned to make her leave. Nick noticed the confident sway of her hips and dance of her tail poof as she confidently strode off and he cursed himself for admiring them when he should, in fact, be hating her guts.

The rabbit squealed to herself, her stride becoming a hoppy-leap as the successful confrontation began to sink in. She actually  _did_   _it_.

The fox was under her command now, and even his frat didn't bother to try and help pry him out of the sticky situation she had put him in. There wasn't a remorseful or pitying bone in her entire body. With his help, she was going to climb her way up the social ladder and live out the best college experience possible. Whatever lay in wait for her, whatever madness she was going to throw herself into, she was more than willing take on. The Jungle was now expecting its first audacious freshman rabbit.

Judy paused by the cafeteria exit and looked down at her phone to inspect his contact info, violet eyes rolling humorously after reading the contact name he had saved for himself:

 

_Yours truly._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for giving my new story a shot! All the compliments I've been receiving so far are super encouraging and make me look forward to writing more :D Hope you enjoyed reading Judy finally besting the fox! I know he's pretty annoying right now but bear with me, I don't intend on keeping him that way. Just had to show that side of him.
> 
> Been debating on saying 'freshmammals' instead of 'freshmen' but it just doesn't flow as well. Expect trashy parties ahead! Haha, and also don't neglect the rating, I definitely intend to make things a little less PG from here on out. Tell me what you think! Peace!


	5. Jaw Dropper

_Well, shit_.

Eyes were definitely on him, he could just sense them. The fox fixed his own to the ground ahead of him as he walked, paws withdrawn into his pockets and tail hanging low. Internally, he urged his embarrassment away under a cool façade that was bound to crack. Nick was certain that the other Alpha predators’ expressions were overflowing with either mirth or pity over the bunny-centered-debacle that transpired in the cafeteria just earlier this afternoon.

The great Nicholas Wilde, hustled by a freshman.

_What’s the worst that could possibly come out of it, anyway? So what if some lame freshies crash the party? After tonight this’ll all just be water off a duck’s back._

In all honesty, Nick was just grateful that no one had teased him further about getting conned into inviting his prank victims, but he knew it was only a matter of time until someone opened their muzzles and made some sneaky remarks.

The pack strolled off campus towards the frat house, definitely catching some stares from other students and pedestrians along the way, but the fox disregarded the attention for once to mentally wallow in his defeat against the rabbit. He could still envision the look of triumph that filled her features, the dancing glint in her eyes, that _stupid little_ tail that mirrored her excitement when she sauntered off.

“You still butt-hurt, huh?” Came a husky murmur to his left, emitted from the beige fennec fox that walked beside him.

Nick only grunted.

“Hey now big guy, don’t take it out on me. You dug your own grave.” Finnick gave a low chuckle, a sound he was well aware stung his touchy friend, so he put his antics aside and regained some somber countenance. “Wonder how long this meeting is gonna take. Still gotta pick up some _green_ before the party.”

The scarlet fox sighed quietly, releasing a fraction of pent up emotion before acknowledging his flat mate. “Last year it took ten minutes. Can’t imagine it’d be any different now.” He arched a brow, a hint of his saucy nature resurrecting in both his face and tone. “Bro. Didn’t we just pick up last weekend?”

 Finnick shrugged with a smug you-got-me kind of grin. “All gone now.”

Nick hacked a laugh. “You fuckin’ _stoner_.”

“Guilty as charged,” laughed the smaller fox. They finally arrived to the front door of the grey-brick building, standing three stories tall with their Greek letter alpha fraternity symbol displayed on flags flanking the windows on all sides.

A building that Nick would probably be calling his home soon. _No hard feelings, Fin._

Only the top members got to live in it with the head Alpha, and the fox was all but certain he was going to be invited to move in. He was the most accomplished prankster in the history of the fraternity, after all. Not to mention the most popular pred at ZU as of late. _And quite the catch too_ , he noted cockily to himself.

Once the pack of preds, over four dozen in total, got inside the musty abode they lounged about in the suddenly crowded living room. With no sign of the head Alpha, the rowdy group jeered and clamored amongst themselves. A brazen few lower ranks even snuck off to one of the coolers and cracked open some beers without permission, and a gutsy cheetah began to puff on and pass around a cigarette indoors.

Nick was interrupted mid-conversation at the sound of heavy footfalls down the creaky staircase at the end of the room, a large white bear from the looks of it, although the smaller-than-average predator had to peek between taller members to catch sight of him. Griffin, the more massively built of the twin polar bears and basically the second in command, greeted the murmuring crowd with a casual glance.

From Nick’s vantage point he spotted Griffin’s brother not too far behind.

“Welcome ladies! Missed me?” Came the titillating, abrasive voice that filled the room. Nick recognized it was none other than Fang himself. The head Alpha.

Although Nick couldn’t quite see him, he figured he was in between his two right-hand mammals, exposing his pretentious pointy grin to all those who gawked at him. Not a sight he necessarily wanted to see, per se, but the curious fox stood atop the sofa’s armrest to get a good view of the action.

Fang inquisitively appraised his fraternity as he began a slow pace through the crowd, probably doing a headcount as mammals quieted. There was a murmur somewhere, one that the hyena addressed directly by snatching a stolen can of beer out of the paws of a weasel and chucking the half-full container at the head of an uttering wolf. The others with beers hid them immediately behind their backs, stifling nervous coughs as the struck wolf quit his muttering and whined quietly. Fang took any distraction in his presence personally.  

“ _Shut up_ ya assholes, and it’d be _much_ appreciated.” His scathing hiss switched effortlessly into a sarcastically sweet hum; even Nick admired how it became the only audible source in the room. “Let’s make this quick, yeah? Quick and painless.” He paced further, looking predators in the eyes as he went, noticing who met his gaze head-on and who averted it. “We gather here like we do every start of a new year. We do it to remind ourselves why we wear these colors, why we call ourselves alphas.”

The dark brown and black spotted hyena plucked a lit cigarette out of the mouth of a cheetah and crushed the ember beneath his foot, causing the larger mammal to slightly wince. The display of his power was evident, and Nick smirked to himself at how provoking it was. _Inspiring._

“While the world may be afraid of us, we are proud of what makes us fearful, aren’t we?” The head Alpha smirked over at his silent, watchful audience. “So we’re gonna _stay_ scary. We are gonna stay on top, rule the kingdom of ZU, like we _always_ have.” He turned on his heel and raised his paws high, waving on the crowd. “Are you proud to be what you are?”

The predators, probably unsure if they were allowed to utter a word in the case it was a rhetorical question, didn’t speak. Fang’s rather serious expression shifted into one of amusement, his arms dropping to his sides. “The answer should be a resounding _hell yes_. Or else I’ll throw you all outta of this damn hell hole of a house myself.” The room rumbled with low chuckles at the halfhearted threat.

His paws became fists, members stepping back to make way for him. “So gimme all ya bastards got, right now, right here. Gimme your best god damn roar, howl, or _whatever fuckin’ sound_ _you make! Let me hear ya!_ ”

His shout transformed into a callous growl as he rounded his back; the crowd’s response to it was phenomenal. The house shook at the sheer sound of everyone’s joined outcries, a cacophonous whirlwind that made Nick’s heart skip as even he pitched in his best grungy, intimidating growl. A sweet release.

Once the sound faded, Fang nodded slowly at the gang, clearly impressed. “That’s how it’s done.” He smoothed the aisle of black fur between his ears down to the back of his neck with a paw, taming his erected hackles. “Now, you sons of bitches should know by now, that I run this show. However, one of you gets to decide whether my reign ends here. _Un-fucking-likely_ , if you ask me. So, anyone here want to challenge me for the title of head Alpha?” His dark eyes darted over the room, now abruptly silent.

Nick looked over the crowd slowly and noticed the complete silence but wasn’t surprised by it. A part of him wanted to be a smart ass and accept the challenge as a joke, but he knew better than to take the chance with a ruthless guy like Fang. Especially not after witnessing what happened to the last poor asshole that challenged him.

Griffin exhaled low, but said nothing.

Fang laughed. “Great. No takers. Onto our next topic then.” His paws came together in a clap and paced towards Nick’s direction, towards the occupied sofas and standing wallflowers. “We got ourselves a party tonight fellas. And not just any shitty party. It’s _The Jungle_ baby, the one and only! And since I’m feelin’ generous, I say everyone here gets to go.”

Many surged aloud in excitement, initiating another general spell of chuckles.

“Yeah, yeah, settle down. Whether you go or not, I don’t really give a damn. But all of ya _are_ going to the frat party I’ll be throwing next week, here in this very house. It’s _mandatory_.” A diabolical smile spread over his muzzle, eliciting more resounding hurrahs from the predators, Nick included.

Frat parties were _the shit_. Alpha Preda parties especially were a college predator’s paradise since prey were not allowed. From the fox’s previous two experiences, it either ended in a hot drunk hook-up or blacked-out in the frat house bath tub completely shit-faced. _Ah, the memories._

“Next Wednesday’s Activities Night. That means fresh meat joins us, you all know the drill. Get ‘em fucked up at the frat party, see if the new recruits can hang.” He made a jerk motion with his paw near his mouth that made the guys stir with laughter.

_Oh yeah, the recruitment process. Frat guys and sorority girls making newbies guzzle alcohol and watching them drop like flies. Pretty thankful my alcohol tolerance is decent. Would’nt’ve been chosen to join the frat if not for that._

“Lastly,” the Alpha purred, turning his head so that he met Nick’s gaze. “Thanks to a special member of ours, we got to witness the best prank ever pulled in Alpha Preda history.”

All eyes suddenly on Nick, everyone erupted into cheers and applause, which filled the fox’s chest with a strange fuzzy feeling. At the unexpected commotion in his honor he bubbled a somewhat nervous laugh. He never felt so appreciated and welcomed into any group like this before. As his bravado swelled, he bowed before the crowd, tipping his well-known imaginary hat that caused even Finnick to sputter a laugh.

Fang made his way through the rowdy predators that celebrated the noble prankster, all whom parted like a sea partial to the hyena’s whim, which was to approach the fox directly. He held up a paw, dangling something golden between his thumb and pointer fingers.

_A key to the frat house._

A few top ranking mammals had surprised looks at the offer the hyena held, some not so surprised. Other members were envious, including Weasleton who brooded the event unfolding from the corner of the room. Finnick watched with a hardly noticeable droop in his large ears. Nick reached out to accept the offer with a grin.

Until the dumb look of pride vanished from Nick’s face as Fang stashed the radiant metal away into a jacket pocket, his own smirk growing toothy over black lips.

“But Wilde got hustled somethin’ bad by that freshman bunny today. A _freshman_. A fuckin’ shame, really.” He hummed almost satisfyingly. The statement alone earned the fox atop the sofa incredulous looks from those unaware of his being hustled, as well as some spurts of taunting laughter, plus a few heads shaking at him in disbelief. A minority even booed. Nick scowled lightly at the hyena that seemed all too delighted in their response. “I have no doubt in my mind, Wilde, that you’ll continue proving yourself.” Fang nonchalantly turned and paced to the other end of the room.

The fox was livid enough to pounce on him.

But he contained it, closed his eyes, mind-bleached the oppressive looks, deafened the lingering sounds of snickering replaying like a broken record, and inhaled sharply.

He couldn’t let anyone see.... that he _got_ to him.

“Enough standing around like a buncha’ shitheads. We’ve got a party to start pre-gaming for!” He hollered, jumping up onto Griffin’s back and giving him a good shake by the shoulders as the frat hollered and pumped their arms up in reply. “Drinks on me!”

A mass of guys followed the hoisted-up hyena into the kitchen where sounds of shouting, snapped beer cans, and clicking lighters could be heard from where the fox stood paralyzed.

_Fuck him._ The hyena was a brutal creature, making it uncannily difficult for the fox to be a part of his inner circle almost like he had an unspoken grudge against him. But it had always been that way before, and at least Nick had come so much farther up the fraternity food chain since the days Fang normally made his life a living hell. He was so close to the top, overthrowing Fang just out of spite almost seemed tempting. _Almost_.

“So, uh,” Finnick awkwardly approached the other fox, clearly solemn by the blank look on his face. “I still gotta make that pick up. You comin’ with?”

After a few seconds of silent deliberation, Nick climbed off the furniture, exhaled his long-held breath, and gave the most enthusiastic nod he could conjure down at the fennec fox. “Sure thing buddy. But first…” He leaned down once the coast was clear and revealed something underneath the sofa by lifting its skirt:  a cardboard box containing laid out glass bottles of alcohol. Fang’s most expensive stash of liquor, stolen and hidden from his liquor cabinet the night they all came to the frat house to celebrate Nick’s prank. Stolen and hidden by yours truly. “I’m gonna take these babies home with us. I’m sure _our dearest head Alpha_ won’t mind…” A wicked grin broke over his face.

Finnick’s eyes widened and he looked around, panicked, before taking an aggressive hold of the front of Nick’s shirt to pull him down at eye level. “You crazy man? He’ll _skin_ you.”

“Fuck him.” Nick shrugged softly, eyes gleaming with unbridled mischief. “ _Let’s get cross-faded_.”

 

.o0o.

 

Bellwether did not take the news well. 

The club president instinctively wanted nothing to do with the predator fraternity; to her the Alpha preds were nothing but a gang of intimidating tyrants that meant only trouble to any mammal they crossed paths with, _especially_ prey.

“This is a bad idea, Judy.” She recalled the wooly mammal had warned her hours ago with a patronizing shake of the head. “What if this is just one of his sick pranks again? What makes you think he’d honestly let us in on some ridiculously overrated party?” Despite her pessimistic opposition, Judy stood her ground in odds with her frustrated companion until the sheep stormed off to the library mid-tantrum.

Unbeknownst to Judy, a small but hardly negligible part of Dawn was envious that the bunny managed to gain campus-wide recognition from the renowned Hornstein Hall prank alone. Now she managed to somehow pull a fast one on Nicholas Wilde in the very same week. The sheep was beginning to admit to herself she couldn’t stand her roommate’s excessively received attention and publicity.

On the positive end of things, Clawhauser was pleasantly overwhelmed at the invitation. _Emphasis on overwhelmed_.

Immediately after he found out he had access to The Jungle he began to dry heave, folded over with his paws on his knees until he dug through his back pocket for an asthma pump. Once he composed himself he enthusiastically blurted something along the lines of: “YES! OHH, yes, yeeess! I’ll go! I’m going! _I’m there_!”

Still, the hustling rabbit was kinda bummed her roommate acted so negatively. As Judy currently explored through her closet for clothes to wear, she immaturely mimicked her roommate’s shrill and annoyed voice to herself. “Well count me _out_ Judy! You’re such a _bad influence_ Judy! I want nothing to do with Alpha Preda, or partying, or- … that terrible fox! Bah bah bah,” Judy tossed clothes into _no_ , _absolutely no_ , and _maybe_ piles on the floor.

“You know what’s at parties, Judy? Alcohol- _looaaads_ of alcohol! And _druuuugs_ , and-and…” The bunny went on until she bubbled in laughter at how absolutely spot-on her impression of Dawn was. The oh-so theatrical Benjamin would’ve been proud. With or without bellwether tonight was bound to be fun, unhinged, and hopefully the typical college experience she had been so desperately wishing for; to jive alongside the cooler mammals, be brave enough to be just a little out of her element, to _explore_.

Before her hunt for party clothes, the remaining three PL members managed to split up and knock on every door at Hornstein Hall to extend the thrilling news. They spread the word of how she struck a deal to let all the girls come to the exclusive senior party, which didn’t take long to disperse beyond the dormitory with the help of social media in the paws of all the jubilant invitees.

Most of the girls were more than happy to join in on the fun, even the RAs were ecstatic to accept the invite. A small minority of girls, however, decided to turn down the invitation for their own respectable reasons, probably not as keen on the idea of a party hosted by the diabolical fraternity leader.

Either way Judy had other things to concern herself with at the moment, like: _What does one wear to a college party, exactly?_

Judy knew she definitely had to look the part if she wanted to fit in. The temperate in Savannah Central was hot, hotter than Bunnyburrow for sure, so something a little revealing? Nothing of hers was short, save for an unworn white crop top she bought once when her parents weren’t looking.

At a dead end, Judy sought out none other than a witty skunk RA more than willing to help, dressed in sweat pants and a Smash Mouse T-shirt. Of course when she found out she was invited, she pulled Judy into a sudden embrace like the one Judy gave her in the bathroom several nights before. Being a sophomore herself, entry to the well-known party house was still an unlikely scenario as it was to the freshmen in the Hall.

 “Wouldn’t have been able to do it without you, really, since it was your info that helped me devise a way to get back at him.”

“They’ll know better than to mess with the great Judy Hopps, eh?” Pepper playfully elbowed the bunny, who laughed at the action. “I think this may go a lot smoother if I tell all the girls to meet at the 400 common room tonight. That way we’ll head out together, the RAs get to monitor their floor groups, no one gets lost, and we’ll all have a _freakin’ blast_!”

“Good idea,” the doe nodded. There was no doubt that the skunk was a talented organizer, probably why she was a dexterous resident assistant. “Alright, let’s see what we have here... the white top you’ve got there is cute. Let’s see if you got any _slutty_ skirts.” With Judy’s permission, the skunk raided her clothing piles, pulling out a few items and observing them impeccably. She lifted a long jean pencil shirt, one that earned Judy a confused look from the skunk on account of her drab fashion sense. With just a few minutes of silent consideration she shook her head, grabbed a pair of scissors, and went ahead to alter the tacky skirt.

Judy almost protested, the skirt being a gift from an aunt from several years ago, but instead bit her lip and allowed the skunk to do her the favor. She hardly wore it anyway, if Judy was honest with herself, and kept it more as a kindness for her aunt. The _snip_ sound of the scissors slowed once the skirt was much, _much_ shorter. In just two minutes the skunk presented the manipulated skirt to its rightful owner: a now slightly torn, now scandalously tiny jean skirt. “Viola!”

Judy took it and inspected it, blinking as her fingers traced over the edges of clipped material. The modest side of her made her question it, but the dominating rebellious side of her internally celebrated over the improvement. “It’s… _lovely_. Thanks, Pep.”

“The getup is gonna be a stunner. How about you try it on so I can see?”

Judy accepted the clothing and realized Pepper meant to try it on _right this moment_. She wasn’t exactly used to shedding her clothes comfortably around other mammals that weren’t family. “Oh, uh, I’ll try it in the bathroom? Be right back!” She nervously breathed a laugh.

Pepper cackled slightly. “No problem, farm girl.”

After a walk of fame into the bathroom where several other girls thanked her for the invite and were starting to get ready themselves, Judy stepped into a stall and squeezed into the clothes.

The skirt was tighter than she would have liked, but still provided her with enough legroom to walk somewhat comfortably. The top fit better than she imagined it looked like on the store mannequin, exposing a bit of the milky fur on her stomach and chest as well as the dark arch of her back. She’d have to get used to showing so much of her legs; never had she gone out with anything above the knee before. Doubt filled her down to the gut _. I…. I don’t know if I can pull this off…_

When she stepped out of the stall and stood before her reflection, the pupils within her violet irises widened.

The clothing accentuated her curves in ways Judy never really acknowledged. Curves typically hidden behind drab, loose clothing.

It was as if the sensual characteristics she naturally possessed were just waiting for her to flaunt them. Admiring herself in the mirror, she realized her ass looked _undoubtedly great_ in the skirt; taut, plump. Her top finely complimented her collarbone and exposed shoulders, the slightest bit of chest scruff peeking through, although it was a bit daring for her tastes.

For the first time, Judy actually felt, well, _sexy_. She was used to just being cute, maybe occasionally beautiful, but never sexy. And it was so fulfilling, so amazingly powerful to finally feel that way. It was certain that if her parents could see her now, they’d shoo her into her old clothes and lecture her for hours.

_But mom and dad are miles away, aren’t they? I’m an adult, completely independent now—unstoppable even._ She was evolving, slowly, and more smoothly than she had previously hoped.  

Pepper poked a head into the bathroom and grinned at the suddenly sensuous bunny, walking inside with her paws on her hips to get a closer look at the assembled outfit. “Damn girl! Whaddaya think?”

 “I… I’m speechless,” Judy responded in a breathless laugh, giving a quick twirl before her reflection and looking at herself over her bare shoulder with her ears relaxed against her back, a dangerous spark in her eyes.

 “You’re a fucking _jaw dropper_ , farm girl.”           

 

.o0o.

 

At 10 pm the invitees, all dressed up for a night of thrills, filled the 400 common room to the brim in preparation to head out. Nearly a hundred of them total waited on an update from the one and only, the deliverer of the great news, hustler Judy Hopps.

When the update would come, she didn’t know.

The rabbit sat on a couch arm rest, her heels tapping restlessly against the side of the sturdy furniture on beat with the Hip-hop music playing from someone’s Bluetooth speaker. It was only her optimistic tendencies that kept her from seriously considering that the fox wouldn’t stay true to his promise.

Hopefully that wasn’t the case, because if it were true, no one from Hornstein would get to party tonight, and her current social prestige would be injured.

Everyone was in an ecstatic frenzy since this experience would be the first college party for the most of them. And who could especially blame the farm-raised bunny whose overall party experiences only really included holiday celebrations at the Hopps farm or annual carnivals in the burrows? She was probably the most untried partier of them all, but not at all ignorant of what typical college parties entailed.

Smoothly, her fingers tapped over the screen of her phone as she texted her friends.

**(10: 24 pm)   J: Hey guys, still waiting on a text from Wilde. You both ready?**

**(10:33 pm)   M: Yes!**

**(10:36 pm)   B: YAAS!**

In the digital exchange Judy learned that the two would meet the Hornstein crowd at some point along the walk to the party house. Judging from a glimpse out of the common room windows the skies were growing pretty dark. Impatient, she bit the inner flesh of her cheek and decided to text the fox.

**(10:38 pm)   J: Slick, I’m waiting on you. We’re ready to go.**

“Hey Hopps, can we head out soon, or…?” Pepper asked the smaller mammal.

“Uh,” Judy fumbled with her phone. “Actually, I’m waiting on a text from Wilde. He said he’d meet us. Not sure if we can get in without him there, so we’ll have to wait.”

The skunk understood, nodding before returning to her spot with the other conversing resident assistants. Judy exhaled somewhat nervously and stared down at the time on her phone, gnawing her lower lip as anxiety filled the pit of her stomach. _Already 10:46 pm. C’mon Wilde._

 

Then 10:50 pm.

10:57 pm.

11:00 pm.

 

Finally, five minutes after 11, her phone buzzed off her lap and she scooped it up before it hit the carpet.

**(11:05 pm)   Yours truly: South Street. Just follow the music. I'll be out front. As promised, sweetheart.**

Adrenaline hit her like a train. In a split of a second she leapt up from her seat with her ears tall, inspired by the rush.

“South Street! C’mon girls, let’s roll!" The giddy exclamation filled the room, an exclamation acknowledged by her colleagues whom erupted in cheers.

Judy led the pack downstairs as they laughed and howled in excitement, the lot of them running haphazardly down to the lobby exit. In the midst of her joy she had a strange déjà vu moment, suddenly reminded at how they all ran down the stairs in a less coordinated fashion just several days ago, for a less fortunate reason.

Outside of the hall Pepper took the lead to help Judy out, using her phone GPS to guide the mammals forward. As voices around her buzzed and whizzed like insects, Judy felt the cool night air blow over her fur and didn't shiver, her blood boiling too hot with all the excitement.

_This isn’t a dream. It’s really happening! I-I … I pulled it off!_

Feeling light on her feet despite the tightness of her skirt, Judy made sure to notify her friends of their departure with a swift text, and soon reunited with the two familiar faces. Clawhauser and Mabel spotted the horde of freshmen girls from afar and ran over a grassy lawn to join the front of the pack alongside Judy.

“Heyyy, who’s ready to get into the _friggin’ jungle?!”_ Ben wiggled his eyebrows, teeth displayed in a goofily wide smile. The cheetah wore a graphic tee with the words ‘born to party’ and a ZU cap backwards on his head, a combo seemingly prepared solely for tonight’s occasion. “ _Me!_ Uh huh, that’s who! _Born to party!_ ”

“You guys look great!” Judy clapped her paws together as she admired the shimmering sleeveless dress on Mabel.

“Look who’s talking little miss fashion sense!” Ben lifted a paw up to his ear, a thumb and pinky extended. “Hello? Who’s this? Uh huh. Got it.” He lowered his paw. “Oh that was Gazelle calling, she wants her clothes back! HAAH!” Clawhauser burst into a fit of giggles while Judy shook her head amusingly.

They all strode down a well-lit path along the breezy edge of campus. Being a weekend, more mammals were out late than usual and curiously peered over at the large group of mammals making their way onto the streets. The news definitely had spread from the looks of jealousy and scoffs they heard along the way. Judy would have invited the whole campus if she could, but even her generosity had its reasonable limits.

Harmonious laughter and prattle followed the group all the way to South Street, thanks to a particular cheetah with an apparent sugar-high. The group, led by the fashionable skunk, traveled through sleepless city streets until they entered a quiet city suburb a few blocks away from campus.

Along the poorly lit sidewalk were wooden houses surrounded by low hanging greenery and tall palm trees, most of the homes hedged off and distanced reasonably apart, but not far enough to spare them from the commotion further along the road.

At this point the pack of giddy mammals spilled onto the empty street once the sidewalk became too narrow for them to walk.

The wind whipped around Judy’s newly exposed fur, parts of herself she began to proudly flaunt despite the persistent breeze making her whiskers rigid and nipples firm beneath her top. Eventually the curvaceous bunny could feel a rumble under her toes, a sensation she realized was a heavy bass that beckoned the young adults closer like moths to a flame.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, thanks again for the read! I have a lot in store for this fanfic, we are still in its early stages so if you’re up for the ride stay tuned! I hope to continue posting weekly to get the ball rolling (reminder: this IS a WildeHopps story, but we’re definitely riding the frenemy arc longer before any believable romance appears). The next chapter may actually come sooner than you think, and will be a little longer so I apologize in advance hah :D I appreciate any feedback at all, so please comment away!


	6. Y'know where you are? The Jungle, Baby!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not promote the use of substances, legal or not, especially to younger audiences. This is a work of fiction, not a promotion of any kind. Be responsible kiddos! Enjoy the party!

Now Judy realized what Nick had meant by ‘ _follow the music._ ’

Just yards away at the dead end of the street she could barely see their destination, blame her unimpressive night vision. Instead she relied on her ears, hearing conjoined voices and howling through the blaring of rave music.

The concrete pavement beneath her feet transformed into a field of grass that felt like it hadn’t been mowed in ages, half of her physique becoming hidden by the unruly yellowed stalks.

Poorly parked cars decorated the front lawn of the house, cars that served as lawn chairs for cigarette-toting beer-chugging mammals, the more relaxed party guests from the looks of the other mammals running on all fours across the lawn in games of chase.

A jaguar pounced over Judy’s head and tackled a ram into the heap of grass, the two panting between bouts of laughter as they climbed back onto their feet. Judy paused to watch an overseeing meerkat hop from the hood of a car to give the winner of the chase a purple and yellow ruffled necklace.

“ _Wooooo! Fuck_ yeah _! Free drinks all night, babyyy!_ ” The jaguar cheered as he crowned himself with his prize, proceeding to celebrate by hopping into a circling and erratically swerving vehicle driven by a tipsy bison.

After the Hornstein crew made sure to steer clear from the driving hazard, Judy giggled in excitement at all the untamed action unfolding around her. _So that chase was some kind of party game, huh?_

It was intriguing, seeing everyone being so loud, so wild, so... _free._ As if they were in some uncharted land off of the map of Zootopia where ZPD or any threat of authority had no subjectable powers. No parents, no rules, just fun. An idea that suddenly sounded so remarkably dangerous, a good kind of dangerous, to the doe that watched on with wonder.

A deviously brave smile claimed her face as they approached the house at the epicenter of it all; flashes of colored light escaping the glassless windows in sync with the boom of music, the building trembling from its hardly containable hotbed of contents.

“We’re here,” Pepper glanced over at Judy eagerly, the ring on her lower lip twinkling. “Lead us on in, farm girl.”

Judy took the metaphorical torch being passed to her, stepping ahead of the RA with a sharp inhale. Once the mass of girls reached the creaky front porch steps, Judy marched up and took out her phone to text the fox that they had arrived.

Until she was approached by the very predator himself.

"Took you long enough, cottontail." Nick taunted in a mild slur as he leaned forward over the porch railing, lidded bloodshot eyes not hesitating to explore her appearance for longer than she felt appropriate. Judy, eyeing some of his features that were admittedly attractive to bunny that tried to regard him similarly.

The white collar of his burgundy jacket was flipped up as he brought the red cup in his paw to his mouth for a swig; a bit of his creamy chest fur exposed beneath a white V-neck and three colorful necklaces. "You sure you still want in?” Came his velvety question, thin tongue gliding the side of his maw in a slow lick. “There’s no harm in calling it quits... you can still _hop_ away if this is too much for you."

Judy crinkled her nose at him, a sight that made him chuckle. _I’m standing steps away from the entrance. There’s no way in hell I’m turning back now._

"I’m not going anywhere. A deal's a deal, am I right?” She returned his grin, paws on her hips and shifting her weight to one leg in a defying stance that led his curious eyes further astray.

“Hot _damn_ , that’s the spirit.” He sucked in a breath through sharp teeth, his eyes on the slope of her tilted hips and exposed stomach. “You’re as right as you are _gorgeous_ tonight...” The fox crooned huskily, stepping towards her before he was interrupted by a rough clap on his shoulder from behind, hard enough to send some of the questionably bright green contents in his cup to jump up. A leopard, dressed in an identical maroon sweater looked over at the group of girls skeptically.

"Hey bro, havin' a hard time here? Are they invited?" He spoke a low tone.

Nick glanced over at the taller predator and nodded nonchalantly. "Yeah, they’re invited, free entry. Drinks aren’t covered though."

The feline jock said no more, glancing amusingly over at the young crowd before shrugging.

“Wait a sec. That wasn’t part of our deal, fox.” Judy suddenly blurted, his large red ears perking towards her as she did. “When I said we get to come in for free, I meant _completely_ free, drinks and all.”

Nick shook his head slow. “You losers get to come for free, not _drink_ for free. That wasn’t specified in that little deal of yours.” He chimed astutely as her ears fell. To her dissatisfaction she knew he was technically correct, the wording of her request not as detailed as it should have been. “ _Unless_ …” With a clawed finger the fox wiggled one of the ruffled necklaces around his neck. “…you think you can _outrun_ me, little bunny?”

Judy scrutinized the plastic prize he made dance— three total around his neck which meant three previous wins, the odds probably stacked against her.

The rabbit scowled, looking over her shoulder at her friends that gazed pleadingly at her. She sighed, turning back to the grinning predator waiting on her reply. “Okay Wilde. You’re _on_.”

 

.o0o.

 

Judy crouched low in the tall grass, small enough to hide in its height.

The meerkat from before, a senior girl that happened to be the conductor of this particular party game, was sure to explain the rules: prey has to evade predator for a full three minutes in order to win. _Easy enough, right?_ Judy was a gifted runner so she was confident. Even her scandalous skirt that strained with her posture wouldn’t keep her from evading him, although it was definitely cause for concern.

 “ _On my mark_ …”

Judy swore to herself as she could just barely hear the crackling of grass under the fox. He got down on all fours after he downed his cup of alcohol and tossed it aside. Stoney eyes honed in on his destined prey.

_“Get set…”_

The game conductor made a sharp whistle with her fingers and the bunny was off like a bolt of lightning.

Although modern day mammals usually preferred to run on their hind legs, it didn’t compare to the speeds they could reach with all four limbs used together. To her knowledge, she left the fox in the dust, unable to pick up his movement through the cheering from her friends and other ruckus resounding all around her. With a confident grin Judy dashed through the grass away from the house, a tactic to create distance from the overwhelming noise and better hear her pursuer.

The smile on her muzzle fell flat when she realized he was actually right on her tail— _literally_ , the sound of his exhales inches away from the poof on her rear. “I can… practically… _taste_ you!” He taunted between breaths.

Confidence was replaced with panic as she made the mistake of looking over her bare shoulder at the grinning fox, the bunny losing speed and giving him an opening to lunge.

Right as he pounced, Judy made a sharp left and scurried, taking the lead again as her friends shouted from across the lawn.

“Go faster Judy! Run run _ruuuun_!”

The bunny approached a barrier of parked cars and realized she had corned herself in. Nick, not far behind, smirked at her through the blades of grass. He approached her slow, looking smug. “ _Gotcha!_ ”

He leapt forward again to tackle the bunny, but instead landed on a soft mound of soil and collided against the door of a car. “What the fu—“

Judy burrowed under the dirt and appeared on the other side of the barricade of cars, her heart racing as she could hear his collision and growl of frustration. “Ha!” She reveled in his slip-up, but instantly bit her tongue once she saw his dark tail shoot up in the direction of her laugh.

  _Crunch_. He was on the move again.

“One more minute and thirty seconds, Judy!”

On all fours the rabbit skidded towards a palm tree with the hopes to climb it, but Nick circled around and confronted her with a smug grin before she could ascend. _Sweet cheese and crackers, he’s faster!_

Quickly she turned on her heels and hopped ahead, losing speed but gaining distance from the predator that gained on her.

“You’re miiine, slow poooke!” Nick called in a breathless laugh, tail wagging behind him in excitement. He was practically letting her lead. _Toying with his food for a bit of fun, if you will._ Fucking with her mind, making her sweat, something he thought she deserved after being the center of his trouble today. Plus, he just adored this game, never losing once before. He’d relish in watching the freshies pay for their drinks, after all.

Her chest rocked her small form so intensely, Judy’s heart could’ve flat lined at the impending doom of her capture.

Long ears were flat against her back as she scurried as fast as her tight outfit allowed, a small alarming _rip_ sound making her movements less restrained. _That didn’t sound good._ But she couldn’t stop and check it now while he loomed closer behind.

The cross-faded fox eyed her ass as she rhythmically flashed glimpses of her pink underwear at him once her skirt tore. _Hoo-ly shit, what a sight_. A sight he probably enjoyed a little more than he should’ve, since he began fantasizing about giving the white poof of her tail a playful nip, ergo distracting his ambush. But those _bouncing cheeks_ and quivering tail framing her bikini bottom were giving his blood a rush, and not to the right places.

_Fuck, I’m losing time_. Nick forced himself to shut his eyes and rely on his hearing instead, his primal senses hardly affected by his inebriation or sudden blindness. Intently he listened to her nearing heartbeat and at last sprang over her.

Judy gasped at the sight of his shadow soaring over her.

 “ _Time’s up!_ ”

The two collided roughly and rolled over the grass at the sheer combination of their speeds, the ground thankfully providing a cushion against the blow of their weights. Once they slowed Judy managed to climb over the fox, breathless as she laughed triumphantly down at him. His dry heaves made her smaller form rise and fall in tandem with his chest.

“ _Cheater_! I… couldn’t focus…” He panted, eyes narrowed.

“No way! I won…fair…and square…!” She asserted before pushing herself up and dusting herself off.

“O-M-G, _Judy_!” Her friends ran over to meet her in a gang of cheers, hugging and high-fiving the bunny. “Free drinks for all of us? Oh hell yeeaah!” She didn’t even acknowledge the tear that ran up the side of her skirt, exposing more of her left thigh. Judy was more bothered by the burn in her lungs and the racing of her heart that hadn’t yet ceased.

The meerkat waltzed over the lawn and brought a ruffled necklace around Judy’s neck with an impressed smile. Judy smirked proudly, wiggling the accessory around her neck towards the fox in a mocking fashion.

Nick hiccupped as he stood, shrugging in reserved indifference as he caught his breath and dusted off his paws. Thankfully any sign of a previous boner was gone.  _That damn bunny’s gonna drive me mad._ “Pff, whatever. It’s a sober mammal’s game, anyway.” He huffed sorely, rubbing his left shoulder where he made contact with that car door. _Well fuck, I’m sure that made a dent._

Flaunting her prize, Judy led her posse back to the front doors. The leopard from earlier confronted Judy, holding a bottle of spray paint by his side. “Paw, please.” Slowly and somewhat hesitantly she extended her grey paw to him, in which the leopard drew a bold black ‘X’ using spray paint. Only then did he step aside to allow her in. “Next.”

Without reluctance she entered, Mabel and Benjamin squealing as they received their X’s and entered right behind the champ.

_This was it. The Jungle._

Teeming with unrestrained, surging life.

It would have been completely dark if it weren't for the green pulsing string lights along the ceiling creating an ambient glow, tangled like a canopy bed overhead. It was… _crowded_. Extremely crowded, almost uncomfortably so for a rabbit that inhabited a space with hundreds of siblings. So crowded in fact that it was difficult to move in more than a couple steps without bumping into someone.

Mammals of every caliber, most of them taller than her, were dancing erratically in the wide room. Being so short and lithe allowed her to squeeze through and under others without drawing too much attention to herself, gawking at their movements.

Dance moves unfamiliar to her, jerking and swaying hip motions that she studied in awe.

Her group of dorm mammals had dispersed at this point. Mabel and Clawhauser linked arms, following after the rabbit as best as they could but the two became bombarded by the mass of partiers. "Judy! Slow down, we'll lose ya!"

Judy was unaware that she left her friends behind being that she was completely enamored with the environment she crept further into. It seemed to suck her in like a black hole.

No wonder this was called _The Jungle_ , that’s exactly what it was; a zoo of animals unleashing havoc in the best way young adults and teens knew how:

_Getting absolutely fucked up_.

The scent of tobacco, weed, and alcohol mingling in the humid air of the house was intoxicating in itself, the combination new and bizarrely thrilling to the bunny. The floor beneath her trembled as tipsy and giggly mammals jumped around, two in which danced against the rabbit due to the apparent lack of floor space. She could feel large breasts bouncing against the back of her ears as a zebra’s tail swished under her chin. Judy fought through the moment of discomfort by rocking to the music until she could squeeze through the crowd again.

Once she was no longer trapped between the bodies of others and finally found some space to herself, the bunny mimicked a group of scantily dressed pigs in front of her, hopping up and down with the music.

Joining the physical synergy made her feel like she was part of some overflowing concert in the dark. Then laughing and breathless, she’d squeeze through the crowd to explore the mad house deeper.

As slipping around dancers became too much of a hassle Judy decided to take a less travelled route:  along the wall, so as not to get crammed against gyrating bodies.

However, that side of the battleground didn’t seem like much of an improvement— mammals, pairs of two or three consisting of the same species or otherwise, were mid-tonguing in ravenous make out sessions; some danced provocatively against one other like they were mating right in plain sight. A view that made the flushed rabbit cover her eyes with her paws as she tried to turn back. _Holy cow._

“You wanna dance, babe?” Came a drunk purr on her right, from a badger giving her a thorough head-to-toe gander. Before she could politely decline he was on her, bracing her back against the wall with his mouth hot on her neck and his hands gripping her sides.

Judy kneed him in the gut instantly and he keeled over. “ _Creep.”_ Slipping around him, she entered the ocean of dancing mammals again.

This cycle of diving into the crowd to rave and venturing further through it repeated two or three times before she finally broke out onto the other side of the dance mob.

A safe space.

It was no less crowded though, but instead of recklessly dancing the mammals stood single file down a mysterious hallway, lava lamps of different colors and sizes on the floor lighting the path.

Judy curiously stepped onto the line and wiped the sweat off of her brow, exhaling with a smile as she glanced around her. Without a doubt the humidity in this place was going to fluff up her fur. She noted that the music, now a boisterous rap or hip hop, blared louder down the hall. Between songs, some she recognized (like Squeaky Minaj, Otter Scars, Kanine West) and some she didn’t, an energetic voice audibly heightened by microphone introduced himself as _DJ Fin_ and called out something akin to ‘ _You’re in the jungle, baby!_ ’ which incited cheers all around her.

Just before another song started the rabbit was approached by a sudden high pitched voice that pierced through the noise.

"Hiiiii!" Judy flinched, looking to the left to see no one standing where the voice had come from. “No, _down here_!”

Judy glanced down and gasped. “Oh!” There stood a small arctic shrew with a voluminous up-do. “Hey!”

"The name’s Fru Fru. Never seen a bunny at the jungle before..." she stated with a blink of long lashes. “I think I recognize you. Are you that Booty-Bunny the Alpha frat keeps talking about?” The shrew asked in a loud nasally voice.

The nick name would have triggered an embarrassed frown on the rabbit’s muzzle if it were not for her desire to seem socially approachable. “Hah well actually, my name’s Judy Hopps. I’m the—“

“ _Yeaaah_ , you’re the cute bunny that hustled Wilde! _Omigaawd_ ,” she giggled.  "I saw the livestream. You’re something else, y’know that? Anyways, I’m the one who bought all the good booze tonight, and since you’re cool I’ll let you skip the line.”

Judy gasped happily and followed suit when the shrew led her past the line to a table covered in cups and crystal bottles. Judy climbed onto a nearby chair to better access the table and the shrew climbed onto the table itself, pushing forward a small shot glass filled to the brim with something potent towards the bunny.

“Judging from that necklace ya got, you can have as much as you want!” Fru insisted, her hoop earrings dangling on either side of her long snout. “Ya hear that Bruce? Bunny’s free!” She shouted to the moose that bartended the drinks for the mammals on line, beer cans and bottles dangling from his antlers. “So you’re a new student, yeah?”

Judy gave a laugh, more nervous than she liked as she looked at the offer. "Yeah, I'm a freshman. All my freshmen friends get free drinks too," she coolly spoke, skeptically taking the shot glass in her paw and analyzing it briefly before sniffing.

“Ya heard that Bruce? Freshmen get free drinks!” The shrew yelled to her apathetic assistant.

The bunny’s nose crinkled instantly at the poignant scent of peach flavored alcohol in her paw. _This wasn't legal, was it?_ But she felt the mouse watching her expectantly. "Thank you," Judy spoke loud over the music, definitely flattered that the shrew who barely knew her had already given her VIP access to the bar.

“No problem at all, Booty-bunny! You deserve it after that prank,” she insisted.

The shot glass remained full in a frigid paw. "By the way… I love your top," Judy stalled.

The shrew hummed in her flattery. "Aaaaww, thanksss! Wanna take the shot with me? We’ll make a toast.” Fru lifted her own miniature glass. “To having a kick ass time tonight!”

Judy nodded and lifted her own shot glass, smiling uneasily before mimicking the shrew’s flick-of-the-wrist motion, downing the drink as quickly as she could. She shivered as it made its way down her throat and warmed her chest. “Wow… _strong_ …very strong…” she stifled a cough. Much stronger than any family wine the Hopps brewed.

Fru laughed. “Good stuff right? My daddy’s bar has the best of the best,” she winked up at the rabbit. “Now, let’s do another!”

 

.o0o.

 

The red fox managed to slip into the party house alone, but not for long.

He found himself with a few ladies that practically tugged him by the collar or tail for a dance. He didn’t protest and grooved against multiple willing girls at a time—he was a generous gentlemammal, after all.

The attractive senior girls seemed interested in him so suddenly after his newfound popularity, not that he’d actually complain about the new attention. A coarse tongue, a cat’s tongue, grazed over his neck as a pair of hooves smoothed down his sides from behind; his front was occupied by a caracal that grinded back against him a little too aggressively, her bushy tail snaking up his shirt and brushing over his stomach. _What a greedy bunch._

After his share of fun Nick cleverly excused himself from the girls despite their whines and latching on to his arms. He managed to maneuver his way through the mob until he made it out to the hallway. He brought a silver flask out of his jacket and drank the last bit of whiskey in it with a sigh.

_My buzz’s beginning to fade. Time to refill._

His earlier cross-faded buzz was so pleasant he completely forgot about his anger, thanks to a few bowls of green and shots of stolen liquor.

On his way to the end of the line, Nick spotted a familiar set of black-tipped ears next to the drinks table.

Almost too easily, he cut past the line of mammals waiting to get a drink and approached the front without anyone noticing.  "My buddy, my pal! Fru, you’re lookin’ snazzy as always." He greeted the shrew with a charming grin, grabbing a glass bottle standing near her and filling his flask.

“Wilde.” Fru smiled casually against her empty shot glass at the fox, unbothered as he filled up.

Nick glanced down, pretending to not notice Judy until now, who glared up at him silently. "Oh, what's this? The bunny drinks?" He almost genuinely sounded surprised through his tease.

Judy furrowed her brow at him, sitting her empty glass onto the table before hopping onto her feet before the frat member. "Yeah, why wouldn't I drink?"  

The fox smiled with sharp, pearly incisors. "Geez I dunno. Thought goody farm girls obeyed the law and all."

“You made it easy for me, losing the chase and all.” Judy contently countered.

The fox scoffed, tucking away the flask and taking up a filled shot glass. He sniffed the potent drink in his large paw as he maintained eye contact with her. “Would’ve won if it wasn’t for those _cute little pink panties_ you’ve got on…” his voice trailed once she gasped, instinctively tugging her skirt down. It made him chuckle into his first sip.

“Heyyy be nice to Judy. She’s three shots in with the strongest liquors on the table,” Fru informed in Judy’s defense, winking over at the flushed bunny. “She’s _cool_.”

Nick arched a brow, hardly impressed. “Huh, well I’ll be damned. So uh, you gonna hook me up with the good stuff?” He gestured towards her stash of bottles.

Fru gave Nick a skeptical look. “Shouldn’t you be off sticking your tongue down some girl’s throat? Maybe Fang’s?” Her question made the perverted smile on his muzzle curl downwards, much to Judy’s delight.

“Har-har.” He rolled his emerald eyes as he took another shot glass she pushed forth for him. He lifted one shot after another, easily downing the two without so much of a shiver. Then he picked up another red cup of spiked-whatever punch.

_He was like a bottomless pit of tolerance_ , Judy thought to herself cynically.

“My girl wasn’t invited,” he admitted somewhat aloofly, sipping the punch.

Judy blinked. _His girl?_

“Yeah, my BF wasn’t invited either. Real bummer huh? Ah well,” Fru sighed before turning over to the bunny. “Judy, hope you have a blast tonight. It was so nice chatting with you, you’re chill.”

“You too, Fru Fru!” Judy smiled as the shrew hopped down the table and disappeared into the crowd.

Then it was just her and Nick for a moment, standing there with an unspoken angst in the air between them, a glare between green and violet eyes. In the awkwardly tense moment, Judy took up a red cup herself before locking eyes with the fox again, taking a cautious sip of the mystery punch. Their silent eye contact annoyed the bunny, much to the fox’s amusement. “ _What_?”

“Nothing,” the fox coolly dismissed, averting his eyes from her and sipping his own cup. “Just wondering why you asked to come to a dumb party instead of demanding something else more, I don’t know, beneficial to you. You could’ve gotten anything you wanted from me. Like—making me do your homework for a month, or give you lunch money…” he made a circular motion with a free paw as he trailed off.

Judy approved of the taste of the spiked punch before acknowledging that he did have somewhat of a point. “I… guess I just wanted a memorable college experience.” Her answer was purposefully short, her trust for the fox essentially nonexistent.

“That’s a strange tradeoff. Y’know, I could’ve been your very own personal servant.” He shrugged, restraining a chuckle as he spun the contents in his cup. “ _Sex slave_ , even. You missed out big Carrots.”

“Sex slave?” Judy exhaled a laugh, her tone less harsh than it would have normally been in response to his lewd suggestion, thanks to the sedative effects of liquor beginning to coarse through her system. “Not sure your girl would appreciate that suggestion.”

Nick huffed a laugh and shrugged. “So? She’s not here. It’s just a fling, really. Flings are my thing. You should know that I have always been a ladies’ mammal. So I’m veeery sexually experienced.” He bragged on, before taking a swig of his cup.

“I honestly doubt you’re skilled in that department.” Judy chirped easily. _You’re all bark, no bite._

Her one sentence was enough to crack his forced bravado. His drink almost went down the wrong pipe at her wounding retort, his cough coming at the expense of her small slightly intoxicated giggle. Not that Nick wasn’t technically physically appealing to the bunny. _You’re theoretically attractive, Wilde. But looks only go so far, and I’m not dumb enough to fall for your cheesy charisma._

To Nick, there was something peculiarly sexy about her lack of apparent interest in him, figuratively providing a chase much like the literal one they entertained prior.

_Holy fuck, why are you so stunning tonight?_ Although he definitely held a grudge against the bunny, he just couldn’t deny it. He cleared his throat and noticed her own eyes were traveling over his broad form, probably and attempt to tease him, no doubt. “Ha, funny fluff. I’ll have to correct you, I’m _very_ ski—”

“ _Aye, Wilde_!” Came a shout, practically a roar, from a large lion down the hallway. “Meet us out back!”

After giving Judy a frivolously charming smile, the fox suddenly split, navigating through the crowd. Judy watched him go in relief, noticing his tail sweep beneath a deer’s skirt as he went, which caused the deer to gasp and mistakenly slap a buffalo standing adjacent to her. “ _Pervert!_ ”

Judy shook her head.

_Nicholas Wilde was something else._

After downing more of her punch in peace, the rabbit decided it was time to venture further again and carried the large cup of sweet alcohol with her through the crowd. Somehow she managed to get through without spilling it in a journey to the source of the party music.

At the other end of the hallway was another large room, a kitchen judging from cabinet sets against the walls. _Not much of a kitchen now, though._ At the center of the room was the DJ table, surrounded by speakers and giggling groupies. Over at a table, tigers growled competitively over a game of beer pong, the sounds of their growls almost inciting fear in the small bunny.

" _There you go!_ Girl I was looking all over for you!" Came Clawhauser’s sudden voice and paw on her shoulder. Judy turned to face him and beamed up at the cheetah, whose fur was frizzed and shirt sleeves were torn off. “I lost ya but I found ya. But I just lost Mabel. My cool hat too. This place is _crazy_. Am I slurring? Like holy cow, you should see the backyard!” he babbled on almost nonsensically.

“Whooaa, slow down,” The tipsy rabbit laughed, unable to follow him except for the last bit. “Waaait there’s-a backyard?” Judy asked with a wide smile, her words slightly muddled.

“Yeah it’s nuts! And O-M-G is that the spiked green juice stuff everyone’s drinking?” He referred to the cup she held with two small paws.

Judy nodded slow. “Uhuh, stuff’s really strong. Want the rest?” She offered it kindly, pointing the half-full cup over to him. “I think… I drank enough fer-now...” She giggled admittedly. The size of these cups were suited for a bear, much less a bunny. Already she could feel the alcohol dampening her senses.

“Yeees pleeease,” He squealed giddily, taking it up in his paws and downing it quick. “YUM uh wow! I’m gonna grab some more of this!”

She blinked and he was gone.

Judy somewhat spaced out, shook her head, and looked around her. The crowd was swimming around her in a blur of movement, furs and tails brushing past her in the tight space. 

_I don’t think Ben said to wait up for him_ , she rebelliously assumed. _What’s in the backyard, anyway?_

Making her careful way through the kitchen in an effort to make it to the back door, someone hurled a drink at someone else, causing a brawl between a burly hippo and a short rhino. At the unfortunate turn of events some of the said drink splattered on the back of Judy’s white top. “Ugh, dammit,” she muttered at the sensation of punch dripping down her back, the sticky substance sure to tangle her fur.

Judy managed to escape the unruly scene and finally broke through the backdoor, the cold night air rushing in around her almost refreshingly as she held onto the doorway for support. _My legs are noodles._

Her muzzled parted into a surprised smile.

The backyard was _raging_.

Litter over the grass, mammals playing drinking games with strange funnel-contraptions, a kiddie pool filled with a questionable mixture of liquors that mammals dunked their heads into or lapped at with their tongues, even a crowd encouraging a wolf trying to climb up a tree to get to the roof of the house.

“Yo bunny!”

Drunkenly, Judy stumbled away from the door frame and glanced to her left, spotting a crowd of predators in matching uniform standing under a low hanging tree. Casually she made her way, trying her best to look composed as she strutted over the damp grass over to where the guys seemed to huddle in a circle-like formation.

“Hey,” she coolly greeted, hands on her hips as she smiled up at the guys dressed in identical Alpha jackets. “Someone called the _almighty Judy Hopps_?” Her self-proclamation made most of the guys smirk.

“Looks like someone’s having fun?” A tall timber wolf asked her, paws in pockets as he gave her a kind toothy smile.

“Yep, all the fun, absolutely. _Soo_ much fun.” She exhaled in a single breath before looking at them all, six in total, including a hyena who leaned against the tree trying to light something he firmly held between the black lips of his muzzle. Nick stood beside him and looked over at Judy, flashing her an apathetic look.

The hyena exhaled a dense cloud of smoke down at the bunny, a foul cloud that engulfed her entirely. She coughed into her elbow and nearly toppled back onto the grass, making a few of the guys watching chuckle as she fanned the air erratically.

“She’s smashed out of her mind,” murmured Fang with a long smile and red eyes, eyes that unapologetically admired the bunny’s appearance, passing the lit joint over to Delgato who took several smaller puffs.

The smell hit her then suddenly, her brain processing more slowly than usual. The tipsy bun gasped quietly, realizing it wasn’t cigarette smoke he blew. _Weed_. Then Fang’s words processed, and her scowl was directed at him.

“And you’re baked out of your mind,” she combatted head on, earning a grin or a jaw drop from most of the predators besides Fang, who exhaled excess smoke through his nostrils. _He did not look happy._

“A stupid rabbit pulls a fast one on Wilde and thinks she runs the whole damn frat?” His tone was anything but friendly. He pulled himself from against the tree bark and walked unevenly towards Judy, until Griffin took a hold of his shoulder to stop him. “You don’t talk to me that way. _No one_ does.”

Perhaps if she was sober, she would have been intimidated by the hyena that bared his jagged teeth, but instead the inebriated bunny smiled bravely.

“Chill boss, she’s freshie,” Griffin’s twin, Tom, quietly murmured. “Just a bunny.”

“ _I know what she is, dickhead_ ,” he hissed, the long hair around his neck frazzled as he glared at the smaller polar bear.

Nick who took the joint up next, dragged smoothly, and blew out three perfect smoke rings that each drifted towards Fang’s face. The hyena shook his head, disbanding the cloud formations with a grunt. “ _Sonuva bitch_ , Wilde, watch it,” he sighed. Nick feigned an apologetic smile.

The older of the twin polar bears cracked a can of beer and delivered it to the peeved head Alpha, who snatched it and guzzled it down gluttonously. His unsightly consumption distracted the bunny, so much so that the lion beside her had to tap her shoulder to get her attention. Judy acknowledged Delgato, whom kindly offered her the lit joint. “I pass,” she slurred.

“Above the influence, eh?” The wolf on the other side of her chuckled as he accepted it instead.

Judy gave a small bashful smile, teetering slightly in place. “Wha can I say? _Future cop_ here, y’know.”

The bunny hadn’t realized what she said until the words were already spoken, words now intermixed with the surrounding clouds of smoke. _I’m an idiot. Why, why, why did I say that?_

There was a moment of silence before low pitched snickering violated it, all the frat members not taking her seriously except for the fox who sipped from his cup of punch, a look of reserved curiosity on his face.

“Hilarious ain’t she?” One of the polar bears mused patronizingly.

“Yeah, ha! A _bunny_ cop?” his twin bellowed before downing his beer and crushing it, tossing it across the yard.

“She’s a comedian.” Wolford chuckled.

Judy couldn’t hide her look of embarrassment, her ears drooping.

“For a future cop, you sure do love drinkin’ underage!” Fang laughed throatily. “Would’ve offered you some of my good liquor… if only I could find my _damn stash_. I think some asshole made off with it.” The hyena grumbled, chucking his empty can of beer behind him so that it landed in the tree branches.

Nick concealed a smirk behind a drag of the joint.

“Oh, um,” Judy mumbled for a moment, realizing the harsh truth the hyena mocked. _Drinking illegally wasn’t exactly cop-like._ But she already knew this, and previously disregarded it although a part of her nagged her to death about it and made her suddenly feel reluctant to continue her alcohol consumption. “I appreciate the thought, but… I should slow down on the drinkin’ tonight anyway…”

“Nah, you can’t stop now. So early in the night? Nah, no way.” Fang shook his head, a devious look in his obsidian eyes, before snapping clawed fingers. “Let’s get her a beer, yeah fellas? _I said toss me a beer!”_

 

.o0o.

A bathroom.

She was in a bathroom, just done squatting and relieving herself when she realized she was _way_ drunker than she should be.

After drinking the beer Fang tossed her a beer, she found herself appearing in different social circles throughout the night until her bladder begged for her attention. Judy was grateful she was able to hold her pee long enough to make it to the one dingy toilet in the entire house. Most mammals were too impatient and just peed outside in the backyard, but Judy protested. She had _some_ dignity.

Once the bowl flushed in a low gurgle, the rabbit ambled over to the sink to wash her paws off only to find, _great_ , no soap. She soaked her paws under the faucet and shook them off, even drying them against her jean skirt since there wasn’t a hand towel in sight.

In the fogged full-body length mirror hanging behind the bathroom door she saw herself, almost having an odd out-of-body experience as she took her appearance in.

Her violet eyes were glazed, a dumb grin working its way over her muzzle. The white halter top was now stained with dirt and green punch. One side of her skirt torn, revealing the fur higher up her thigh. Grey and white fur that was frizzed from the humidity of combined body heat filling The Jungle. “Lookin’ reeaal sexy there, Hopps. Reeaal cool.” she winked to her reflection.

Until the banging on the bathroom door interrupted her little moment.

Judy stepped out of the small room to let in a desperate giraffe who nearly knocked her out of the way to duck in. The unpleasant sound of gagging and liquid contents colliding into the toilet bowl made the bunny crinkle her nose and step into the next room over.

At this point, Judy started kicking it off with so many of the guests on the dance floor that she lost count. Exchanging Furbooks and numbers, joking around with other drunk mammals, taking shots with a group of friendly seniors. _How many drinks have I had so far?_

She even danced with a few girls from the hall, including Pepper, who playfully swung the rabbit around in a fit of laughs and taught her a few provocative dance moves. The skunk was definitely the life of the party on the dance floor, encouraging a dance circle for partiers to jump into and show off their moves. A breathless Judy thanked her RA for the fun, but Pepper was too busy lip-locking with another girl to hear it.

“Ju-u-u-udy!” The call came from a giggling Mabel, who collided into the bunny near the drinks table. Her wool had fluffed out, her eyes almost lost behind the scruff. “ _I think I just made out with the DJ!”_

.o0o.

Judy was laughing so hard she could hardly breathe.

A plastered Clawhauser had just attempted to climb up the tree to reach the roof like so many others had done, and failed miserably.

Instead he gripped onto a hefty branch and froze in fear, looking down at the ground with wide eyes and an erect tail. Mammals cheered him on but he shook his head, unable to climb down. The branch eventually cracked underneath the girth of his weight and he ultimately dropped right into the liquor-filled kiddie pool with a high-pitched shriek.

His splash entirely soaked the mammals drinking from their boozy watering hole. Bystanders were dripping wet, the most hilarious of them all being a cat who looked all but shriveled under damp fur.

Judy teared up with hiccupped laughter alongside others who also struggled to breathe from how amusing the scene was. _My sides are burning… this is how I die…_

Mammals started to throw the littered cans of beer up to a weasel on the roof with a baseball bat, who swung and hit the cans over the fence. Every hit he made got a riot of cheers from the bustling outdoor crowd. Judy joined in by stumbling over the lawn to race others to the remaining cans, ignoring her natural intolerance of litter, tossing her finds towards the batting weasel. _Scoooore!_

.o0o.

It was cold.

Too cold.

Judy stood, no— crouched, in a bush in the backyard, blinking in confusion through the dense shrubbery. Time seemed to do this weird skipping thing when she was drunker than she felt comfortable. But she tried to be a good sport about it, as much as she could tolerate. _What in the world was going on?_

She watched quietly through the branches, too quietly, realizing the music was off and the sound of raging mammals had gone down to a distant mumble.

_Flashlights._

White cones of light veered over the backyard. Sounds of digital hisses and beeps, muttering from walkie-talkies, and nearing steps were heard by the listening rabbit.

She held her breath as two cops walked around the seemingly empty and trashed backyard. After a minute or two which felt like an eternity, they left the premises.

“Slow your breathing, Carrots,” came a calm, quiet whisper from beside her. Panicked, she looked over her shoulder to see the crimson fox, looking at her with an uncanny expression of concern. She suddenly became aware of how heavy she was breathing and silenced herself as best as she could, her heart pounding against her ribcage. The drumming in her chest was so loud she swore he could hear it.

 

.o0o.

 

“Well, _that_ was some shit,” A deep laugh broke the cool air as Judy walked steadily over pavement. She was so proud for a moment of how coordinated she paced, until she realized that she was being supported by someone.

“ _Ben?_ ” She sighed the question drunkenly as she looked up, expecting a stocky and friendly cheetah, only to be disproven.

“Damn. She’s _alllll_ fucked up, huh?” The previous voice cracked again, before muffling a cough.

“Shut up man,” a more familiar voice grunted.

Judy blinked, recognizing the fox. “… _Nick_?” He was doubled over, arm curled around her exposed back, leading her forward.

There was silence for a few minutes, and the cool wind seemed to help the bunny stay alert whenever it blew over her face. She looked around with strained eyes and watched ahead as other tipsy, stumbling students walked towards the direction of campus ahead of them.

For the bunny, her conscious state was swimming, her senses dipping in and out from the overload of alcohol pulsing in her veins and rendering her flimsy. The two predators were conversing, joking, and then arguing. Back and forth.

“Just leave her on the corner, man. She’ll know how to get back.” Finnick hissed quietly.

“I’m taking her back,” the red fox insisted harshly. “Ugh, _I should’ve never_...”

She blanked again. Just for a moment. Then huffed. “I’m riiii here, y’know, I can hear ya-both talkin’ a-bou me,” she slurred with a small smile, trying her best to keep it together as one of her ears flopped over one of her eyes. Nick looked down at her, emerald eyes meeting hers. A potent smell of weed and booze on him.

“I’m well aware, Carrots,” He acknowledged her amusingly. “But I don’t think you’re _all_ there.”

“Shiiit. You got a pet name for her?” Fin huffed surprisingly.

More murmuring. Hissed whispering. She closed her eyes and took a deep inhale. Silence.

“Dude, I’m going the fuck home. See ya later.” And Finnick was gone.

Nick continued a slow stroll onto the campus, watching the bunny’s footing as she tended to trip over her own feet or stumble on his own. Now there was almost perfect silence, save for the small ‘ _oof_ ’s and ‘ _easy there_ ’s that escaped the predator supporting her. She was trembling so intensely, it further impacted her inability to walk a straight line, and she accidentally stepped on his tail several times, much to the frat member’s discontent.

“Well, whatever the hell Fru gave you definitely did the trick, am I right? Gotta ask her for a personal bottle…” he lightly joked, but it only earned him a grunt from the half-conscious rabbit.

Maybe Judy was imaging things at this point, but she swore she felt something akin to a cloak of pure sunshine envelope her, pleasantly stopping her shivering.

 

.o0o.

Soft.

Warm. _So warm._

Judy hummed delightfully as she collided and squirmed deeper into the sensation, moaning blissfully.

“What… happened?” A whispered, high pitched voice asked. _Bellwether’s voice_. Sounds were beginning to sound distant as Judy began to drift. “Is she okay…?”

“Yeah, she’s good.” The last words she heard that night were from a low, husky voice brimming with amusement. “We just partied… _hard_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woooo! Anyone had flashbacks to their first ‘getting-waay-too-shitfaced’ experience? Just me? Heheh  
> Fun fact: my college had a party house actually called The Jungle. Not even kidding. The floor also happened to cave in from all of the, uh, wild parties. Also the chapter title is a bit of a song reference, anyone care to guess?   
> Another fun fact: I wrote this chapter drunk, sue me. No worries, I’m of age.  
> I hope to publish chaps every Friday (or earlier) before I head out to grad school in the summer. Tell me what you thought! :D


	7. Finders Keepers, Losers Give In

The ubiquitous sound of birds chirping filled the campus with news of daylight.

A pair of eyes opened slowly, watching the blur of her dorm room come into focus within seconds. Judy winced once her vision registered the intensity of light pouring in from the window, drowning the carpeted floor up to the walls. The disoriented rabbit grunted as she tried lift herself up into a sitting position using her arms but failed miserably— instead, she plopped right back onto her comforter, her brain pulsing behind her skull as her head sought the relief of a pillow.

_Mother of Mercy… my head's like a ton of bricks._

She shut her eyes and stroked her temples, focusing solely on stretching slow and taking lung-filling breaths. The extension of her limbs caused the sore muscles within them to protest her every movement; she almost caught a Charlie's horse in one of her calves, and quickly withdrew the leg so that her foot was flat against the bed and her knee pointed up.

Her entire body felt like it had just been rolled down every hill in Bunnyburrow. Twice.

A sensation of bile burned low in her throat, sparking an aura of nausea that vanished once she willed it to with a stubborn swallow of spit.  _Nooope._  Throwing-up made top on her list of least favorite things, right after hangovers. This would be her first experience dealing with the after effects of reckless alcohol consumption, and it wasn't fun.

_This is what I get for my not-so moderate and otherwise mindless drinking last night at the…_

_Oh yeah._

Wrapping herself under her blanket like a bunny burrito, she recalled how magical the party seemed at first; the overwhelming numbers of mammals flooding the house, how friendly everyone became once a little (or a lot) of alcohol got involved, the wild party games, the roof-climbing antics…

A sheepish smile braced her muzzle when she remembered her absolute favorite tid-bits: like when she had learned some new suggestive dance moves from her friends (her favorite was a tie between a sidesplitting hip-thrusting motion and the paws-on-your-knees-ass-in-the-air move), or when she got over her hesitation to drink for the night with Fru Fru's help (albeit illegally), and the truly blessed image of a soaked cheetah crawling out of a kiddie pool after falling a height of over ten feet. Judy sputtered a weak laugh as she reminisced in the comfort of her blanket.  _Gooood times._

But there was a point where her memory became, well, spotty.

The bunny forgot the chronological order of some parts of the night, there being gaps in between events that failed to register in her previously inebriated mind. She actually had no recollection of how the party ended, or how she, Ben, and Mabel all managed to get back to campus safely. But she did recall there being lots and lots of beers cans. Running, picking up, and stumbling over said beer cans.  _Was there an after-party cleanup effort?_

Her scent magnified within her burrito fort, the reek of liquor suddenly causing her stomach to painfully churn. A shower was definitely in order, then whatever kind of breakfast she could scrap together, maybe even some pain meds if her nagging migraine persisted.

Slowly again, her eyes opened and she allowed them to adjust to the bright light in the room, the ceiling spinning. Grabbing a hold of the mattress beneath her she exhaled in preparation.  _C'mon, stand up, I can do it…_

And so the hungover bunny did.

Having left the comfort of her blanket burrito Judy slid off of the bed, her feet finding the carpet as she groaned from the change in position. The time on her desk clock read 1:58 pm, a sight so unexpected she had to do a double take to make sure her mind wasn't playing tricks on her.  _Whoa, no way, I've never slept in so late before!_

Then she collapsed onto her carpet, wobbly knees giving way.

" _Oww-ha-howw!_ " She squealed once she collided against the rough textured floor, landing on her side. "I'm… a mess," she whined softly, staying down for a few moments before conjuring the strength to do a push-up, bringing herself onto her feet again, this time holding onto her desk chair for support.

The lightheaded doe peeked across the room to check for Bellwether but saw no sign of her, just a well-made bed and the sheep's typically organized desk. On Judy's desk laid a neatly folded sheet of loose-leaf paper, and once it caught her attention she approached the note and opened it.

_Morning Judy,_

_I was upset at you for the whole party thing yesterday. But then you gave me such a scare last night, not responding to any of my texts or phone calls and coming back so late (4 am!). You were pretty drunk and kind of out of it so I'm grateful that you got home safe. Help yourself to some fruit and water in my fridge whenever you get up. I'll be in the Diversity Centre._

_-Dawn_

Judy smiled warmly to herself at the thoughtful sheep's letter and tucked it away in one of her desk drawers for safe keeping.  _So I got home at 4 am_ , she noted to herself surprisingly, feeling somewhat guilty that she neglected to check her phone for the entirety of the night. She didn't even want to imagine the sound of the sheep's angry voice mail messages probably sent throughout the course of the night.  _That's gonna be fun to listen to later._

Her thoughts were interrupted by another ambushing wave of nausea.

"Ughh..." Judy felt the familiar stirring in her stomach, an overpowering sensation, and prepared herself accordingly. The rabbit scrambled to the only trash bin in the room, and once on her knees, compliantly lurched the disagreeing contents of her stomach into the can.

Her small form rocked during each heave, about three or four times consecutively with shuddering breaths in between, until most of it was expelled. She groaned, a mild feeling of relief washing over her as the undigested alcohol was finally out.  _It's over…. thank God._  She tied the plastic bag off  in a tight knot with a tired sigh, the bag filled with that haunting bright green color of spiked punch.  _Now to drown myself in water._

Digging through Bellwether's well stocked mini fridge she found a bottle of water and chugged it eagerly, humming contently as the cold rush of fluid tamed the burn in her throat and pain in her gut. Since she, as a rabbit, had the ability to drink and breathe simultaneously, she had no qualms in tearing into another bottle without a moment of rest in between. The drink was so refreshing it almost made her eyes swell up with tears of gratitude.

Withdrawing the now empty bottle from her lips she recognized then, something peculiar about the arm holding the very bottle she drank from.

 

There was a crimson sleeve over that arm.

 

After racing to the mirror, her eyes widened.

 

She was wearing an Alpha Preda jacket.

 

" _How in the…?"_  Judy breathed in disbelief as she spun around, looking over her small form's reflection on all sides.

The jacket smelled musky, a canine-like musk no doubt, and it was an overwhelming scent. Oddly, it was overwhelming in a  _good_  way. Like some kind of mild, sweet earthy cologne. Very earthy, like wet sandalwood, and refreshingly balsamic. Judy took a deep inhale of the dyed cotton and recoiled once she realized how disturbing her action was.

But she also recoiled because she recognized it was the scent of a predator, a scent that rang an alarm in her brain that yelled her to flee, but as usual she ignored the instinct. The jacket's smell also came in other notes, notes of alcohol and smoke, a combo almost as potent as the musk she picked up on first.

Judging from how it hung from her, it was definitely several sizes too big, making the sleeves baggy and the bottom of the sweater's white hem reach slightly beyond her knees. "Where did I…  _how_ did I..?"

Judy then explored the depths of her memory, or at least as far as it could take her. She remembered laughing. Then throwing cans up, landing back into the grass and giggling some more.

 

_My last clear memory is…_

 

The rabbit gnawed on her lower lip.

 

_Hiding. Hiding in the bushes… hiding an_ _d… and being hushed._

 

Hushed by a red fox.

 

That jacket wasn't just anyone's jacket.

She was wearing the one belonging to the one and only, Nicholas Wilde himself.

 

Suddenly her ears drooped, a wild blush conquering her cheeks beneath fur and painting the cavities of her ears as her mind contemplated on all the wild and endless possibilities of what could have occurred between them.  _What in the hell happened last night?_

Her jaw tensed as Judy started to pace the room, trying to reason through what very little she remembered. Laughing, then silence. The lawn, then the bushes. Fear of getting… caught? Seen? Surely her memory could lead her to it.  _There had to be a logical explanation, right?_

However, that part of her night was particularly fuzzy.

 

' _Slow your breathing, Carrots.'_

 

So of course, she imagined the worse.

Judy recalled their banter on something sex related and thought maybe, just  _maybe_ , she had done something with him in those very bushes she would (and definitely did) regret.

There was just no way to justify why a self-righteous guy like Wilde would ever give up his sweater, the very piece of clothing that marked him an Alpha, willy-nilly to any drunk freshman mammal at a college party— _especially_  to his assumed arch-nemesis. He presumably hated her, and she reciprocated the sentiment, so there was just no way. No way unless…

_Oh god—we got drunk and had sex in the bushes._

 

 

Judy Hopps was definitely one to jump to conclusions.

 

She cupped her face with her paws to muffle her exclamation.  _"_ Holy _SHIT!"_

It was the only plausible explanation in her mind that would explain why she ended up with his sweater—  _I can't deny he looked reeaally good last night, and maaaybe the rush of our chase probably did something weird to me, not to mention how he kept looking at me with that dorky but suave quasi-interest…_

Unless he looked at all the girls that way. But what set Judy apart from the others? _Why was I the one drunk girl to end up with it?_

Keeping her balance, she whipped and flared her comforter and snatched up the phone that revealed itself from the tangled bedding. Hesitantly she created a new message, swearing to herself low, paws trembling.

**(2:34 pm)** **J: I think I have something of yours. What happened last night?**

With closed eyes, she sent it.

Even though it may have been counter-productive, Judy couldn't help but try to fill in the gaps of her memory on her own. Her conclusions were lacking foolproof evidence, that much she knew, but it was the only scenario that made an ounce of sense, the only evidence being the underlying attraction for him she tried so hard to disregard.

The bunny paced back to the full length mirror beside her closet for a final look at the bulky jacket.  _It all made sense._  In exasperation, she sank down with her back against the dorm room door.

Judy imagined how the scenario must've played out: Nick and her sneaking into the shrubberies, wasted out of their minds, having something of a quickie before they scrambled their clothes back on and she took his jacket.

In her outright embarrassment, her head knocked slowly back against the wood, a fluttering exhale drifting from her mouth.

The bunny had her fair share of intimacies with bucks back in the Burrows. The difference was that she was sober for each experience and could remember the events. This time? She had no clue if it even transpired, and if it did she couldn't even recall if it was at least enjoyable. Even as an optimist, Judy couldn't escape the suggestive mental crawl space she had subjected herself to.  _Did he at least use a condom?_

**(2:40 pm)** **Yours truly: Haha, she lives. But yeah, you have my sweater. Care to drop it off at my place? Elm 505 1.**

He didn't really answer her last question. But she'd get an answer. 'Elm, 505, 1,' was all he informed her in regards to his address, a bit vague, but nothing the aspiring cop couldn't crack. Just a quick destination search in Zooglemaps produced the only street in Zootopia with the word 'Elm' in it. Twenty minutes away on foot.

She stood fast, ignoring her pounding head, her ears tall in newfound determination. "I can make it in ten."

That was, if the farm-raised bunny could navigate her way through the foreign city on her own.

After briefly freshening up and changing into a dark grey sweater and a trusty pair of jeans, she was off, having shaken all the contents out of her book bag and stuffed Nick's sweater into it. It was so bulky it made her bag look like it was going to bust at the seams of its zipper, but somehow the resolute bunny made it work.

She also made sure, in a last-minute moment of nonsensical panic, to grab the fox repellent hidden in a dresser drawer.

With her phone, repellent, and lanyard in her pockets she sprinted down the stairs instead of waiting for the elevator, her bag jerking and bobbing against her back as she went. Oddly enough, she saw no one along her speedy way outside of the dormitory building. It was particularly quiet this Saturday afternoon, perhaps the result of the majority of Hornstein Hall being hungover or sleeping in. Based off of her best guess, it was most likely the former.

Tired yet focused violet eyes intently stared down at her phone GPS app. The bunny realized she had to walk from her current position in West Campus towards East Campus, a far side of the school district that she was by far the most unfamiliar with.  _Great, veeery convenient_.

So she had to pause at a nearby campus directory for several seconds before snapping a photo of the paths she had to take and trotting forward. "Okay… so I go down Main, then make a left at Zoology Drive, then straight 'til… uh, I reach University Boulevard…" she zoomed in with her fingers, keeping a rushed pace. She was lucky that the campus paths were mostly vacant or else she would've no doubt knocked into some mammal, like she had a reputation of doing.

Even with deep breaths, there was no sign of her calming down as her trot gradually evolved into a full sprint. In no time she made it off campus and onto the city streets. The sun was high and bright, the sensation of sunlight potentially comforting her if not for her rampant panic.  _Why was I in the bushes with the last mammal I would've wanted to find myself with?_

Judy's eyes darted between street signs and (unbearably slow-changing) crossing signals. She endured a three minute jog of continuous self-reprimanding and anxiously avoiding getting hit by reckless taxi drivers before finally standing in front of the green and white-lettered Elm street sign.

"Yesss, I made it to Elm!" She did a quick hop to celebrate her city-travel victory, but then remembered why she traveled off campus in the first place, and regained focus.  _I'm here for answers_. "So what's 505, 1 mean?" She scrutinized the numbers in the fox's text message before glancing around her.

Directly ahead were rows of identical apartment complexes, all one story flats somewhat small in size. Each complex's front had three spaced out entrances, olive green doors accented with gold numbering.

"There's building 500… so I'm looking for building 505!" she murmured to herself once she figured out the second of Wilde's mystery numbers.  _So '1' must be the door number._ She marched forward, eyes darting between the apartments.

The apartments were adjacent—no, directly attached to one another, a typical example of inner-city building design that the Bunnyburrow rabbit wasn't accustomed to. No front lawns either, just littered sidewalks and trash waiting to be picked up by tardy sanitation trucks. Probably not a street she'd feel safe waltzing down in any hour of the night.

_501… then 502…503…_

_Building 505._

At long last she stepped onto the one-level concrete stoop at the base of what she assumed had to be Nick's flat, if she cracked his text code correctly. "Elm, 505, 1… this has to be it, I'm here." Judy affirmed as she eyed the shining number 1 on the door above her head.

Underneath her was a rugged door mat with the words 'Wipe your feet, Asshole!' in classic calligraphy styled font, a subtle reminder to the bunny of just  _whose_  home she was about to enter.  _Riiight._ So she braced herself.

Raising her fist she knocked solidly, twice.

Silence.

Judy pouted, suddenly impatient as she knocked a second time. Silence again.  _Isn't he expecting me?_

Startlingly, the door swung open and there stood a groggy fennec fox, practically glaring up at the bunny in his black night robe, the scruff of his chest exposed. "Yeah, yeah, come in," he muttered as he stepped back into the flat, and Judy followed suit.

"Hey so, uh," she spoke distractedly as she glanced around the place. It was smelly, musky to be precise, and she honestly wasn't all that shocked at how horribly disordered the apartment was. Unwashed dishes stacked to the highest mountains, empty pizza boxes and cigarette butts strewn over the tiled floors. Clothes scattered on the couch like the hampers were at maximum capacity. And there was a faint smell of… weed? Shower gel? "I came to return something that belongs to Nick, so he told me to come by and drop it off here… where is he, exactly?"

"He's in the back, down the hall. Said to tell you to just wait out here until he's ready, though," the tan fox shrugged carelessly before walking away. "I'm going back to bed now."

"Alright," Judy nodded as Finnick made his leave, a bit irritated that she rushed all the way to the apartment out of self-induced panic only to be told to just wait until the fox felt ready.  _Ready to what, climb out of bed?_  Being well past noon, she saw no good reason to wait any longer.

The musing bunny made sure to wait until Finnick's door slammed shut before quietly stepping over the mess in the living room to get to the hallway.

But the damn floor was like a valley of land mines. Shit was  _everywhere_. A laptop here, a nearly-destroyed textbook there. Bent beer cans, shoes, an assortment of bongs, speakers connected to a DJ spin table on the sofa next to the endless pile of clothes, a zebra blow up doll ( _what?_ ), an unfinished game of chess, and small-sized Alpha Preda jacket on the floor— those were only a few things out of the entirety, much to Judy's acute observation.

The sound of running water became audible as the bunny made her way down the hallway quietly, a more traversable battleground, while her ears attentively minded the sound of a faucet turning, the previous rush of water now becoming a measly drip.

"Nick?" She called out, but there was no response. The bathroom door was cracked open just a tad, the misty room releasing a more heady scent of clean fox. Out of some bizarre and unnamed curiosity, Judy peeked inside with a twitching nose, her small paws holding onto the door frame.

Red fur over sculpted shoulder blades, wet and disheveled, filled her vision.

Her eyes traced down the back end of his slender figure, unaware of the shade of red that possessed her inner ears as she eyed his wet tail sway calmly near the bathroom floor.

The fox leaned forward with large paws on the sink counter to shake off most of the excess water soaking his upper body, the droplets flying as his head-hair tussled, the scruffy-likeness commonly attributed to him becoming reality.

Her eyes lowered further, silently admiring the contour of muscle in his lower back. Then lower, still.

_This is wrong, so so wrong. I'm going to turn around and pretend I didn't see a th—_

Then on all fours, he shivered the rest of his fur dry, his erect tail shimmying droplets every which way. Her sights were between his hind legs, eyeing something dangling there.  _W-was that his ballsack?_

In a mixture of fascination and lust, she imagined what she must have looked like then, running her paws over his fur drunkenly, watching him struggle out of his clothes over her in the backyard of The Jungle. But the visualization didn't help jog her memory. It only served as an aggravating turn on.

Nick stood slow, draped a white towel over his lower half, and sighed.

"You've seen enough yet, Carrots?" he chimed, a wise smirk spreading over his muzzle as he turned on his heels to meet her wide eyes. "I don't give these kinda shows for free, I'm afraid."

Judy swore she had gone without a pulse for a solid three seconds as she stood there, mortified that he had been aware of her silent admiration of his naked body.

"Uh-um…I was just…" she stuttered, averting her eyes downward to the tiled floor and away from his ruffled chest in an effort to distract herself.  _What the hell? I can't think straight._  "I'm only here… t-to return this to you…" She barely mustered the words, lowering the book bag from her shoulders.

He stepped forward slowly and opened the door wide.

"Yeah, you brought it?" He asked in a low, somewhat husky tone, the creamy fur on his front trailing all the way down his abdomen, and most likely down further beneath the towel. Keeping her eyes away from his body, she zipped open the bag and revealed the bunched up sweater inside of it, much to his satisfaction. "Greeeaaat. I missed ya, darlin'," he cooed frivolously to the concealed sweater. It made her roll her eyes. "Okay, give it over and scram. I've got a hot date to get ready for tonight."

_Hot date, huh?_  She lifted a sleeve of the maroon jacket over to him, offering it with the hopes he'd just yank it out of her bag and let her run out of the apartment as fast as her two sore legs would allow.

Once his paw hovered over the sleeve, she abruptly withdrew her offering. "Wait."

His ears perked up as he flashed her a questioning look.

She gathered herself enough to meet his eyes. "I want you to tell me why I have your sweater in the first place. Why I woke up with it on this morning."

Nick crossed his arms, now leaning back against the bathroom door frame with his green eyes traveling up to the ceiling. "Uh, well," he searched for the right words, his cool nonchalance becoming mild annoyance. "Why do you care, anyway? Just give my sweater back and be on your merry way. So hippity-hop back to Hornstein." He extended a paw, looking expectantly at her.

But Judy didn't budge. "I care because I don't trust you for a second," she practically spat, the words more harsh than she anticipated. "It's pretty obvious you're incapable of selflessly lending it to just anyone."

He nodded slowly, acknowledging her claims as accurate. "Uhuh, soo… what's your point?"

"My point," the bunny sighed, her free paw giving her knit brows a quick rub, her migraine still very much present. "Is that you and I were in the bushes last night."

A few moments of silence. Awkward silence. She thought her suggestion was a dead giveaway of what she thought transpired between them, but Nick looked puzzled.

"Er, yeah," he shrugged. "Lots of mammals hid after the party ended. Y'know, when it got busted."

"What?" The rabbit tapped her foot slowly, wearing a clear look of confusion. "It got busted?"

Then a restrained smile found its way to Nick's muzzle once he realized:  _Oh shit, she totally blacked out last night._  "Yeah. A bunch of noise complaints and sightings of open containers along the street practically led the cops to The Jungle's door step."

Nick arched a brow, giving the rabbit a good look from ear-tip to toe, studying her jaded appearance despite the clean clothes she wore.  _She's hungover too_. "Geez, you don't remember a thing from last night… do you?" He hummed in an insinuating tone, his tail sweeping the floor in front of him.

Judy watched his tail dance and scowled. " _Regardless_ —"

"How  _do you_  think you ended up with my sweater?" His coy question was laced with curious amusement, a sure trap, Judy knew. The fox waited calmly for her response, parting from his position against the door frame to stand tall over the rabbit.

She blinked at how close he was suddenly, being naked and all, and her stomach flipped. She was basically eye-level with his abdomen, a strong yet pleasant masculine scent filling her nostrils. "W-we were hiding in the bushes... and you told me to quiet my breathing..." She explained nervously.

"Oh  _shit_." Nick cracked a grin as he leaned forward, now at eye-level with her. "You think we fucked in the bushes."

_Heeere it comes._  Judy averted her eyes from him in embarrassment as he barked a laugh so loud it surely woke his flat mate down the hall, the sound making her realize how absolutely pathetic she was for even thinking that was a logical explanation for why she had his sweater this morning.

It took him a few seconds to compose himself while Judy groaned.

"Oh, this is rich!" He exhaled in a chuckle, paws on his stomach. "Are you subconsciously confessing that you  _really do_  want me as your sex slave?"

" _Nick_ ," the coarse way she spoke his name barely reflected the anger that flared inside, making her nose scrunch up and her paws holding her book bag tense. "Just tell me if we really did or didn't do something last night. Like you said, I can't remember a thing, and I don't find this funny at all."

"Aw, don't get your ears in a bunch, fluff…." He eyed her, noticing she was practically trembling in anger, and relished the very sight.  _God help me,_   _I can't help it_ , he thought to himself whimsically.  _A fox likes to play with his food._  "I might be a little hurt that you don't recall our special moment under the stars," a toothy grin appeared, in opposition to her jaw drop. "But that doesn't mean we can't recreate it, right here, right now…" He took a step towards her, resisting a gut-busting laugh when she squirmed back.

"Don't you dare, Wilde. You're  _naked_." She whispered the last bit in a ' _are you completely insane_?' sort of tone, her cheeks burning under grey fur; Judy held her book bag with both paws in front of her as if she could fend him off with it.

"Glad you noticed. But that's only half of the equation…" He chuckled suggestively, taking another step forward, adoring the quivering twitch of her nose.  _Oh, this was way too easy._

"How do I know you're not lying?" She countered, stepping back yet again.

"Because admit it, you  _like_ me naked," he stated smoothly. She swallowed, not making an effort to deny his claim. "You even snuck a peek at me just now, what more proof do you need?"  _Question was, would she fall for it?_

Her frown deepened from the inevitable truth of his statement—she did ogle him coming out of the shower, probably watched his nude body out of something akin to perversion, and got caught doing so. There was nothing about that to dispute.

As much as she hated to admit it, he  _was_  insufferably sexy, but his obnoxious personality made him ultimately unattractive to the bunny. At least, the part of his personality he displayed for the world to see, the part he used to get under her skin, the part that made him flaunt himself off like he was some kind of big-shot. "It's alright, Carrots. I know some girls simply can't help themselves when they're around me. They all want a piece. I'm irresistible." There was no hint of doubt in his words, his eyebrows wiggling arrogantly.

"Oh please." She scoffed boldly. "Regardless of what may have happened between us last night, if it even happened, it was only because we were drunk. I'm not like all those other girls that like to butter you up. I am  _completely unaffected_  by that lame front you show everyone— I see right through you." Judy confidently snapped, hugging her book bag close as she glared at the predator.

"Completely unaffected, you say _?" Is that a challenge?_

This fox liked challenges.

Without warning he sauntered forward until he knelt in front of her, pinning Judy against the hallway wall opposite the bathroom door. His paw met the wall beside where her ears stood, or were standing, before they dropped behind her head in what he could only assume was out of fear.

It was at this point that Judy knew this was another one of his tedious games. She should've dumped his stupid sweater off at the kitchen and sprinted off into the horizon the very first chance she had, if only it weren't for her persistence and his distracting choice of clothing (or lack thereof). He was like some kind of magnet that managed to make the room spin for reasons apart of a lingering hangover. But she'd rather buy into her own spoon-fed lies that he was just as abominable externally as he was internally.

Nick watched her nervous expression with hungry green eyes so deep she swore she lost herself in them. His shit-eating grin was gone now, replaced with a serious look of reserved desire that made her go weak in the knees. Taking the opportunity of their current position he leaned in close, so that they were practically nose to nose, his whiskers tickling her face.

There was an enrapturing warmth coming off of his body as he pinned her, a warmth that fed into her own body which consumed it almost willingly. Her groin ached dully, a head-rolling sensation she ignored as she glared at him.

Judy fought it. She fought the sick attraction and weakly smirked at the fox trying to get a rise from her. She wouldn't let him win. _And if he so much as puts a hand on me…_

 

The rabbit recalled the fox repellent in her sweater pocket.

 

Smoothly, he exhaled from his nostrils, the air hot and drifting over her lips, the sensation making her audibly gasp.

_Dammit._

Once his ego got a helpful boost from the flustered rabbit, he withdrew, admiring the result of his demonstration: a heart-fluttering, breathless, now presumably horny bunny.  _Aaand that's how it's done._

"Could've fooled me," Nick jeered as he admired the dark red tinges coloring her ears, almost unimpressed as he broke away from her, tightening the towel-knot around his waist.

Judy watched him back away, loosening her grip on the fox repellent as rage conquered her features. In his presence she was an emotional acrobat, flipping and turning every which way along the spectrum of tangible feeling, all at the command of a slippery fox. "I swear, if you would've touched me I… I… would've ..."  _Used something I never wanted to use._

Her hissed attempt of a threat made him roll his eyes. "Relax, Carrots, you're not my type." Nick mused over his statement, knowing that it probably held little to no factual weight. So he had to level it out with some truth to spare his conscience. "Truth is, we really  _didn't_  do anything in the bushes. Anything sexual, anyway."

Judy was taken aback, processing his words.  _So what, big deal if I'm not his type?_  Her ego didn't fret over it. However his sudden change in demeanor from tongue-in-cheek frivolity to apparent seriousness made her more open to accepting the following confession as honest.  _So we really didn't do anything last night. I guess I should be relieved._

"Now you know the truth. So yeah, any who, I'd love my sweater back."

Once Judy finally acknowledged him with a nod, she held out her book bag and unzipped it before abruptly pausing.

He narrowed his eyes. " _Any day now_ , fluff."

Judy looked up at him skeptically. "You never told me  _why_  I have it. Why would you give it to me, anyway?"

Her persistence made him grunt, his paws running over his face and down the back of his neck in what seemed like frustration. "Does it honestly fucking matter? We didn't have sex, which was your big concern right? Then that's that, now give it  _back_."

She swung the book bag behind her, one of its straps now sagging over her shoulders, her ears perched tall as she observed his sour reaction. "Let's say you didn't give it to me…let's say I found it? Finders keepers, right?"

"You're not serious," he muttered in disbelief.

"I'll give it back... if you just tell me  _why_." Judy tutted playfully by wagging the other loose strap of the bag, any sign of her earlier temper now melting away.

A deep, restrained growl rumbled from his chest. Obviously, he didn't want to tell her that the actual reason she had his Alpha jacket in her possession was because he walked her home and didn't want her to freeze to death along the way. He  _couldn't_  tell her that, because altruism wasn't exactly one of his proudest characteristics; not to mention it would insinuate something weak about him that would render Nick vulnerable to Judy's eternal amusement. Even though she was technically in debt to him for his help, he didn't want to give her satisfaction of knowing that he had helped her at all.

"Carrotssss." He whined, watching her confidence harden into a desperate determination. "You got your stupid party  _and_  beat me at chase last night. I even assured you that we didn't have sex. All of that should be satisfying enough, you don't deserve anything else from me." He groused in resistance to her questioning. "So I guess we're…  _done_?" He extended his paw for her bag.

Judy sighed. She knew that he was right in a way, she already used the fox as a gateway ticket into a considerable amount of popularity. Regardless of how she mysteriously ended up with his sweater, she was probably making a bigger deal out of it than it was. "Fine." She made a reserved exhale. "We  _are_  done." She held the out bag towards him.

Without hesitance he snatched it from her and sought out the zipper.

"Perfect!" Nick cheered in contentment. "Now let me show you out—"

He froze still, his words falling flat as he looked down at the flimsy bag.

_It was empty._  She had taken the sweater and now held it, still balled up, behind her back. To make matters worse, the bunny now smiled mischievously.  _Never a good sign_. The sweater she attempted to hide from him was pretty obvious, her small form unable to fully shield the bulky thing from his sight. "First off, you hide things like a bunny. Second, you're a very sore loser." He swiftly tossed her bag aside.

" _The thing is_ ," Judy smirked softly. "Alpha Preda wouldn't sit well with a frat member chumming up with a freshman—  _a dumb bunny_ , no less. And here we have a  _shifty low-life_  doing just that. Just imagine them seeing me with your jacket on?" She enjoyed the mild shock that became evident in his expression. "So you're  _definitely_  gonna answer my question," she hummed, grinning up at the now very flustered fox who glared down at her.

"More blackmailing. I can't believe this," he grumbled, rubbing his face with a paw.

"If you just told me  _why_  I have this," She referred to the balled up maroon material. "I wouldn't feel the need to blackmail you in the first place."

"Look, I honestly don't remember," he lied with a snort, avoiding her gaze as he glowered at the wall between her ears. "I just know for a fact that we didn't get frisky in the yard. You just managed to get your paws on my jacket somehow. If you were looking for a better explanation, sorry to get your hopes up." He extended his paw, feeling entitled to make demands for his rightful belongings. So he did. "Now if we're both done here, I'll be taking my sweater back and bidding you  _adieu_."

Judy shook her head.  _For all the hell you put me through, I'll put you through it twice, Wilde._

He watched her anxiously, his fur dripping.

"What if I decided to keep it," she started in a taunting voice, much too sweet for the way it provoked the predator. "And wore it through campus? Showed off my new  _fox-scented_  fraternity jacket for everyone to see?"

Nick gritted his teeth. "You wouldn't."  _After all the trouble she gave me, she couldn't honestly keep me on the hook forever._

Judy beamed innocently. "Wanna try me?"  _Oh fuck, she definitely could._

After a hostile stare down and a quick contemplation on whether it was possible to snatch the sweater from her and kick her out, Nick realized it would take (at most) three minutes for him to catch her if the chase last night proved anything. If she got out of the house they'd make it to campus by then, being on all fours, and if she wore his jacket during the chase, he was definitely screwed. Not to mention he'd be chasing her buck-ass-naked.  _Finnick's right. I dig my own damn graves._

"Listen," he scowled down at her. "You wear my jacket in daylight and my reputation with the preds is out the window. They still won't let go of the fact that I got hustled by… by  _some_ …"

Judy arched a brow. He let out a long groan, signaling his inevitable surrender.

"Ugh, fuck it all. Y'know what? Fine." He met her gaze again, paws falling against his sides in exasperation. "We'll make a deal. How about I keep you in-the-know about any future parties or whatever, in exchange that you  _not_  wear my sweater out in public and instead  _return it_  to me kindly?" He offered, giving the best pleasant expression he could muster despite his annoyance.

He watched the bunny turn her back to him to stroke her chin in thought.

_On one paw, I don't get an answer on why I have the dumb sweater in the first place. Unless he really did forget, but I doubt that. On the other paw, if I accept…_

_I'd be invited to all the exclusive hang outs._

That would mean that The Jungle wouldn't remain her last experience kicking it with the cool mammals. She's be able to stay publicly relevant, even when the semester got going and students got busy. The popular friends she made wouldn't forget about her, and she would fulfill her wishes on becoming the social whizz she knew she could be.  _Tempting, tempting._

Nick gave an impatient exhale, eyeing the sweater she held. "Well?"

"You've got yourself a deal, Slick," she turned and revealed the now slightly wrinkled jacket in her possession. Nick reached out to grab it, but she withdrew quick, making him miss. Just to fuck with him a little. "As long as I am invited to go to said hang outs  _for free_." She wouldn't forget including that condition this time around.

"Whatever, deal." With great relief, she finally let him take the sweater, and he immediately threw it on, smoothing the material once it framed him. Just a little wrinkled and negligibly smelly. A bunny-kind of smelly. "The next shindig is at the frat house— Alpha frat house, that is. But I'm tellin' ya you're not gonna wanna go."

Judy disregarded his warning as a way to shoo her away from the fun again. "Sweet. I'll be expecting more party details from you via text. Anything else I should know about?"

The fox quietly considered not upholding his end of the deal, but he knew that it would only lead to a promised demise, and he for one was definitely at his wit's end with her hustling stunts. "Not that I know of. But I'll keep you updated." He muttered sourly. Until that recognizable glint appeared in his eyes, one that represented that his hustler spirit had not died yet.

Judy picked up her empty bag from to floor as he watched, his tail wagging gently behind him.

"Actually, there  _is_  something you should know. Sometimes we like to hit the bars downtown. How old are you?"

"I'm... 18," The bunny admittedly softly, almost apologetically up at the fox who sighed in insincere concern.

"No can do, fluff. There's no way you'd get in with us, they're untouchable if you're underage." As his words struck a chord in her, he changed his tone to a more hopeful one. "Unless…"

She made a curious look.  _Bingo._  "Unless?"

"A fake ID could get you in." Nick thrummed the cream colored fur on his chest with a clawed thumb as his clever tongue worked his magic. "You happen to have one?"

As expected, she shook her head slowly, her ears low. "Where… do I get one?"

"I figured as much." Another large toothy smile. "I've got a connection.  _But it's gonna be costly_ …"

She looked at him for a moment as she internally debated. "Name a price."

He responded with a straight face. "Two hundred."

_No way_. Her mouth went agape. "You're kidding."

"Now, have I ever lied to you before?" His words made her shoot him a dirty look, which inspired a throaty chuckle from him. "Well, you want one or not? I'm just trying to get you into our stupid hang outs, as part of the deal."

"Fake ID? Ugh, isn't that incredibly illegal?" Judy crossed her arms. "Are you sure… there isn't another way in?"

"Nope. Only way." Nick assured before he deflated. "Most college mammals get fakes eventually. It's not that big of a deal, buuut if getting a fake is too uncomfortable for you, seems like you'll be missing out on some real fun…"

Although her instincts told her to decline the offer, Judy sighed, paws digging into her sweater pockets. "… _Fine_." She fished through the wallet hanging from the lanyard and pulled out the only two crisp hundred dollar bills she had left, the last of the money she saved for emergency purposes. Money she earned by working tirelessly throughout the summer in anticipation for life at ZU.

Gingerly he took the cash she presented to him, stuffing it into a jacket pocket with a pleasant hum.

Once a street hustler, always a street hustler.

"When will I get it?" She asked quietly, feeling like she had just made some kind of blunder for the sake of getting into an exclusive hang out—illegally, of all ways. It didn't sit with her well, but she didn't want to mope over it. Or cave in. Not to Nick's satisfaction, anyway.  _Maybe it'd be worth it?_

 

"We'll get it right now, lemme just get dressed." His muzzle split into a uniquely predatory grin. "And I know just the guy to do the job."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m a slut for good banter, if you couldn’t tell. The Jungle was just a warm up- there’s more crazy shit on the way. Considering making this story explicit… tell me if I should. ‘Til next week!


	8. A Piece Of Hell

After a quick ten minutes of waiting in the filth of his living room, Nick came out of his room dressed in his usual get up, not seeming to mind the wrinkles and smells on his Alpha jacket he so righteously recouped from the hustler-bunny.

"Is this going to take long?" Judy asked, empty book bag hanging from her shoulders as her paws worked circles into her throbbing temples. At this rate, any longer with no food or pain medication, her hang over was going to have a long comfortable stay.

Nick replied cheerfully, opening the front door wide and taking his first whiff of outside air. His place was pretty muggy, after all. "Not to worry, fluff. Flash is the fastest guy in there. You need something done, he's on it." He was thankful his back was to her so that he didn't have to hide his humored expression.

Just as he stood at the foot of the door with his back facing her, Judy caught a glimpse of a green bike leaning against the cluttered furniture in the kitchen she could only assume was once a kitchen table. "Great. The faster, the better." She murmured, holding onto her book bag straps as she glanced over the heap of metal and then back to the fox admiring the sunshine. "Speaking of faster…"

Nick turned to look at her over his shoulder. "Mm?"

Once he looked, she had already reeled the large bike towards the door, her paws on the seat as she pushed it forward. His previously wagging tail now dropped low.

"Guessing by the size of this baby, I don't think it's your roommate's," the bunny managed a little smile, using a paw to pull out the bike's kickstand from the back wheel so it could stand on its own. A bit ungracefully, she hopped onto the seat, and suddenly appeared so small in comparison to it. She couldn't even reach the handlebars. "C'mon. We'll get there even faster on it. And I'll be out of your hair in no time."

He sighed. "Absolutely not." He admittedly did consider riding for a second, considering he never rode around on it anymore. But then he realized that campus dwellers would probably spot the two riding together and spread cringe-worthy rumors. The most compelling argument for his naysay, however, was the fact that he wanted to milk her hangover symptoms as much as he could. For entertainment purposes.  _Revenge._

Judy pouted as he returned the kickstand back to place with a foot and took a hold of the handlebars, wheeling the bike back to where she found it, bunny in tow.

"Now off. Your fat butt's gonna ruin my state-of-the-art bike cushion." Much to his delight, she hopped down with a huff, her lips pursed at his comment.

 _Yeah right. Some state-of-the-art bike he's got_. The thing was half rusted and kinda dusty, each of its parts mismatching as if they were scraped together piece by piece. She was definitely disappointed on not being able to hitch a ride somehow, especially since her hop back to the tiled floor caused her head to throb.

"Sooo… where are we headed, exactly?" Judy asked as the fox let his guest exit the apartment first. He noticed the way she used her paws to massage the spots below her ears and smiled.

"We're going to the Student Accounts Office," the fox replied smoothly as he followed behind her, shutting the door once they both stood on the all-too elegant door mat.

"Wait… isn't the Student Accounts Office closed on weekends?" The bunny watched as he swiftly locked his apartment door, then give her a nod before they started towards the Elm street corner.

"Technically. But like I said, I've got connections." He winked, head held high in his casual strut. Once the two arrived at the cross walk, Judy paused at the sight of the red paw and flashing 'do not walk' signals. Nick, however, continued forward like he hadn't seen it, and she watched him dubiously as he took the lead. "Light's red," he sang obnoxiously as he left her behind. Despite her natural gut instinct to avoid becoming road kill, she glanced left and right before following quickly behind him.

"I  _really_  hope this doesn't take long. I've got a killer migraine and am just about ready to pass out on the pavement if I don't eat something soon," she muttered in admittance once she matched his stride. But he was well aware of her condition.

" _Nooo_  worries, Carrots. Just count on me."

Along the way to campus they refrained from walking too close to one another, remaining a reasonable distance apart as they evenly paced. Both pairs of eyes mostly stared ahead although there were moments in which they glanced between one another while the other wasn't aware. Fortunately there was not much talking on the fifteen minute walk back, after all the back and forth banter they endured indoors. The silence would have been tense if not for the fox's easygoing composure along the way, which slightly reduced any previously predicted awkwardness for their journey.

Once on East Campus they approached a cylindrical concrete building, six stories tall with an elliptically shaped entrance framed in gold metal. Matching the theme, circular windows lined each floor. Very dark windows.

Nick led her along the side of the building, the two following its seemingly endless circumference until they approached the very back end. There the red fox slowed, approaching a fire exit discretely held open by a small rock. After briefly glancing around to make sure the coast was clear he kicked the stone away from its holding place, cracked the door wide, and waved his bunny companion to go in first. "Beast before beauty."

"Is this… are we trespassing?" Judy anxiously whispered, ignoring his taunt as she looked around her to assure that they weren't being watched.  _This is so, so wrong. Maybe even strike-worthy._

"Only if we get caught," he answered in a wise-ass tone, paws in his pockets as he leaned back against the opened door, one foot propped up against it so his knee jutted out. "Which seems like what you want to happen, with how you're just standing around. So c'mon, Carrot-cake. Hop in."

The bunny scowled at him as she walked in, her shoulder roughly brushing past his knee and nearly making him lose his balance, intentionally so.

"Touchy, touchy," he mocked quietly as he closed the door gently behind them, making sure to return the rock to its previous position. "First hangover's got you all grouchy, huh?"

She didn't respond, taking her time up the stairway as her sore legs strained to lift. Somehow, she managed, slightly impressed with herself. The first set of stairs didn't prove much of a challenge, but when she stood by the second floor's entry door, Nick shook his head at her. "Not our floor. Keep goin' up, fuzz."

Judy winced as she went up the next flight, her calves threatening to cramp. She grabbed for the third floor entrance only to flinch at the click of his tongue.

"Nooope. Wrong again, keep a'climbing." She released the handle with an almost painful whimper, to which his shoulders shook from a  _very_  constipated laugh he refused to let out.

Her face twisted into a grimace as she continued to ascend, not wanting to reveal to the fox behind her just how truly challenging the three flights of stairs were while she was hungover. She was usually athletic enough to withstand a decent number of flights before really getting exhausted, thanks to her time on the Burrow High track team, but even her history of running track couldn't prepare her for this special piece of hell. Three flights became four, then five.

On the sixth, she was noticeably trembling from the physical exertion. Nick watched her intently, admittedly prepared to catch her if he  _absolutely_   _had_  to, but enjoyed the sight of her struggle like karma had just done him a favor. Maybe he enjoyed the sight of her quivering tail and sashaying little ass just as much as he liked seeing how she unconvincingly bluffed her stamina. "Getting a little shaky there?" He taunted smoothly once they approached the final floor, his voice echoing throughout the chamber.

Judy gripped onto the rail, the only thing supporting her weight at the very top step as she caught her breath, her head pounding in tandem with her heart. "Not sure… what you mean, Slick," she replied disingenuously.

As he took his sweet time to arrive to the top she used the opportunity to muster up some of her remaining strength.  _The worst is over. It's allll smooth sailing from here on out._

"Okie dokes, looks like we made it." Nick spoke as he waltzed past her and held the door open, letting her hobble first into the hallway. She peered down the dark hall with hesitance, a ringing silence in the air. It wasn't completely dark; interspersed windows along the corridor managed to bring sunlight into some areas, whereas the spaces between remained shrouded.

The fox took the lead and Judy followed suit, hiding a bit of a limp as she went. Thankfully the tightening muscle in her left calf spared her once they stopped at an office space branching out from the hallway, a cubicle surprisingly lit and operating unlike any of the adjacent ones.

Nick approached the front desk occupied by a hunched over employee she couldn't see quite well. He rang the desk bell, getting the mammal's attention as he leisurely sat upright. Judy's eyes widened at the sight of him, an artery at her temple feeling as if it were just about to burst in her realization.

 

_His connection… is a sloth!?_

 

The Alpha gave the sloth behind the desk a grin. "Flash, Flash, hundred yard dash! Buddy, it's nice to see ya. Thanks for meetin' me here so last minute. You have a funny way of getting to places fast."

Flash regarded his friend with a gradual smile. "Nice to... see you... too."

Nick saw the look of disbelief on Judy's face within his peripheral vision. He reveled the way her nose twitched in that undeniably adorable way. "I'd love you to meet my friend..." He leaned against the desk, supporting an elbow onto it without breaking eye contact with the desk mammal. "Uh, darling, I've forgotten your name."

The bunny tossed him a transient look of disdain, deciding to bite her tongue. "Mmmm." She hummed in a sarcastically sweet manner before smiling politely up at the sloth. "I'm Judy Hopps, Hornstein bunny. Nice to meet ya. How are you?"

Flash looked down at her, his eyes lidded for a moment before he blinked agonizingly slow. "I am... doing..."

Judy's polite smile dropped, much to an observant fox's pleasure.

"…just..."

Her paws gripped the counter, the rabbit now tippy-toeing as she found her patience starting to wear thin. " _Fine?_ "

"...as well... as... I can... be."

"Great to hear, buddy." Nick smirked, wholly amused at the bunny gripping the front counter like it was what was left of her sanity. "You remember what I asked you to do for us, right?"

Flash turned to Nick, so painfully slow his chair creaked for a solid ten seconds. "You wanted..."

Judy's expression theatrically shifted, her eyes widening as she strenuously listened to the sloth without giving in to her desire to interrupt or groan.

"… me…to…"

 

_You've got to be kidding me._

 

"Get us a fake ID," she abruptly chirped, filling in the rest for him in mid-sentence.

The sloth persisted nonetheless. "...get you...a…"

" _Fake ID_ ," the rabbit gasped desperately, sinking from her tippy toes, face cringing and ears low.

" _Haha_ -hang in there," Nick advised in half a chuckle, his tail wagging slow in his entertainment.

"…counterfeit…"

Judy groaned softly, tempted to let her forehead knock against the edge of the counter.

"…identification…card."

The fox nodded towards the student employee. "Yup, that's right. My friend here wants one." It took a lot of willpower to say the words without busting into a fit of unrestrained laughter.

"Can I… have… your…"

"My real ID?" Judy finished, fishing the requested documentation out and slamming it on the desk before Flash could end his question. "Here, please, I'm really in a hurry."

As Flash took his sweet time to reach for the card with his long set of claws, Nick scrutinized the photo on her authentic ID card: a younger version of Judy no doubt, smiling wide with thick-rimmed glasses on. Looking absolutely dorky. "You wear glasses?" He asked as if the notion was absurd, and the rabbit exhaled low.

"Used to." It was true, her natural eyesight wasn't the best, and she was thankful to upgrade to contact lenses to spare her from her peers' unreasonable judgements.

"Huh," was all he thoughtfully replied, much to Judy's relief that he didn't tease her about it.

Just as Flash took up the card in his claws, he began to turn in his seat towards the scanner to his left. Nick took the opportunity to flash Judy a quick smile, one she noted as untrustworthy, before he leaned forward over the desk, his arms crossed on the counter beneath his chest.

 

"Hey Flash,  _wanna hear a_   _joke_?"

 

.o0o.

 

After a pain-staking three hours and a terrible joke later, the sloth managed to print out a new ID card on sturdy plastic for Judy, which bared the same questionably young photo despite the altered date of birth that suggested she was 24 years old.

Judy took up the laminated card and thanked the sloth for doing her the favor before independently speeding out of the office space into the hallway.

"It's over," she sighed in relief, giving the card a good scrutinizing by the light of a circular window before stuffing it into her wallet behind her real ID. She noticed the slight blur of the printer ink on some of the words, a lack of a hologram, and most importantly, the outdated format of the card despite how new it looked. But to the untrained eye it might just get her past security. At least she hoped it would.

Meanwhile, Nick slid a single crisp hundred dollar bill over to the sloth, keeping the other bill smugly for himself. "Way to hustle bud. I love ya, I owe ya!" He pointed a quick pair of finger guns at his friend before splitting, stepping into the hallway to join his feisty companion standing near a hallway window. "That wasn't too bad, right?" He asked sarcastically.

Judy stomped one of her feet down, a motion she somewhat regretted from the rush of pain it brought. "You said this was gonna be  _quick_!"

He breathed a laugh, walking towards the other end of the hallway opposite to where they entered. "What, are you saying that because he's a sloth he can't be fast?" The bunny followed him questionably, her ears low as she shot figurative daggers into his back through her eyes. "I thought in Zootopia anyone could be  _anything_."

She would have verbally lashed at him if it were not for her stomach robbing her attention, the organ grumbling so strongly it made her mouth dry and throat tighten. It competed with her migraine, so forceful and evident now that she noticeably flinched each time her head throbbed.

According to her sense of hearing, the fox stopped short in his stride within a shadowy part of the hall. She paused next to him, straining to see why he stilled in his tracks.

 

 _Click_. Then a whirring sound.

 

Within seconds, a set of elevator doors opened, the light within illuminating each of their faces.

 

Judy's paws fell out of her sweater pockets out of delirious awe at the very sight, her left eye twitching.

 

"Oh yeah.  _Whoops_." Nick cackled softly, stepping in. "Forgot to tell you about the elevator."

 

.o0o.

 

After the rather eventful afternoon with a very sore rabbit, the fox spent the rest of his Saturday evening preparing for his well anticipated hot date.

That meant a decent grooming job, his traditional get up with his Alpha jacket, and a musk-accentuating cologne that would (hopefully) hide the scent of bunny still lingering on the deep red material. A couple shots of Furball Whiskey also did the trick to make him more lax. Lax, or in other words, high-functioningly drunk.

Once all that was done he was  _golden_.

Nick casually admired his form in a full length mirror, giving himself a tipsy smooch. "Heya good lookin'... come around here often?"

Finnick, who was currently invested in making a new remix track on his laptop, sputtered a laugh when he glanced over at his flat mate making ridiculous puckering faces in the mirror towards his reflection. "Dude, you are such an  _ass_."

Nick regarded his friend over his shoulder with a pout and then casually shrugged. "So I'm an ass for appreciating what Mother Nature gave me?" He asked while he smoothed down russet fur around his jawline and adjusted his folded white collar. "Then so be it. I'm an ass." He opened his mouth, checking the sharp incisors to assure he hadn't gotten any leftover turkey in them. "A  _big_  one."

Fin sipped his beer can from a bent pink straw, pulling his headphones playing quiet music off his large ears. "Hah. An ass getting some ass tonight, amirite?" He chuckled low.

The larger fox chuckled with him. "Hell yeah. If tonight all goes to plan… Which it indubitably will."

The fennec fox rolled his eyes amusingly at his overly confident flat mate. "Bro, it  _always_  goes to plan with you. I've lost count on how many girls I've heard giggling from our backyard or in your bedroom." There was no hint of jealousy in his voice, the statement really serving as blunt commentary. "You wanna share your secret to gettin' the ladies or what?"

Giving his backside a gander, Nick looked down over his shoulder into the mirror and watched his fluffed tail swish slowly behind him. "Not sure what to tell ya. It's a gift."

Finnick clicked his tongue sarcastically. "What's a gift?"

Nick grinned wickedly. "My dick.  _Duuuh_."

The fennec fox shook his head, slipping his headphones back on. " _Duuuh_  nuthin.' Your dick ain't nuthin' special."

Nick choked on a laugh. "Says you, but the ladies disagree." He hummed. "I guess I'm just a lucky fox."

Lucky indeed. The self-absorbed predator was currently talking to two girls at once: a white-tailed deer named Gale and a white furred vixen named Liz, but he was admittedly already getting bored of them. They were transparently shallow girls, attention seekers really, and genuinely couldn't carry a decent conversation without gossiping about someone he could care less about. Neither of them were much of an upgrade since his last fling with a clingy lynx with passive aggressive tendencies.

Funny thing was, he was sort of rekindling the flame with said lynx via text, unbeknownst to the two other girls who also knew nothing about one another. So he was technically talking to three girls simultaneously.  _Nothing I can't handle._

"Wait. Didn't you tell me you made out with someone at The Jungle?" Nick arched a brow over at his flat mate sipping on some ramen broth out of a bowl.

The lynx's name was Maveen. Mav for short. She was probably the most accomplished of all his previous love interests, since she managed to stay involved with him for at least a whole two months' time.

Finnick cleared his throat. "Yeah. Some cute sheep. That was fun. But I lost her somewhere in that fuckin' mess. Didn't even get her number," he grumbled low. "No big deal."

Although Maveen may had been his most accomplished love interest time-wise, it was such an insignificant thing that set her apart from his other bland romantic pursuits. She didn't even date him for two months consecutively, no. The two months were just an estimation of days totaled together since his freshman year, days interspersed since then and now. Days practically forgotten by the red fox.

Once in a while she'd rear her slightly spotted, brown head at a convenient time—when Nick was alone and brooding over his low rank in the frat. But now that he was no longer a 'nobody' and had the overwhelming attention of a larger population of girls, there wasn't really a reason for him to entertain Mav further. He only did so now because he was admittedly growing bored again with Liz and Gale.

"I'm sure you'll find your wonder-lamb again," Nick assured as he walked to the back door of the flat and vertically slid the glass wide open.

Fin slurped up some noodles. "Ha. Fat chance."

Tonight he arranged his usual flattery dinner. Nothing at all fancy, just a cheap tent he got at a convenience store hoisted up in his apartment's scanty backyard, a yard shared by all the 505 building occupants. The yard, if it could even be called that since it lacked any actual grass or shrubbery, was small and contained between rows of apartments that robbed them of any true privacy. The space also endured sounds of traffic, music from neighbors, and loud pedestrians since it resided just a few yards away from the bustling city streets.

Within the tent he supplied an impressive supply of alcohol, pizza, and pillows for 'rolling around' with his expected guest. They were couch pillows, in case the brunt of hardened soil wouldn't be comfortable to recline on.

Tonight's flattery dinner was not for the lynx, the one guest that had visited the dingy tent all too many times before.

Today it was Liz that would hopefully be spending her night with the fox, a stunning pearl white vixen with golden eyes and a kind smile. She was somewhat dimwitted, never truly understanding his jokes and usually forcing a bored laugh whenever they chatted, the reason why he much preferred to be lip locked with her most of the time.

That's just how it went between the kind of girls he was into, and he didn't think that dynamic would change up any time soon.

By 10:00 pm she knocked on the flat's front door, and he raced back into the apartment complex to let her in.

"Hey," came Liz's cool greeting, cool as ice, as she looked over his body first and then met his eyes.

"Hey." Nick replied in his best nonchalant tone, stepping forward and taking her by the waist for a quick peck on the lips. She wore an opaque pink bralette and black shorts, white fur exposed between the materials in every right way. _What a sight._

Wasn't long before she took his paw in hers and led them into the abode and through the back doors, both outside again in the nearly grass-less community yard. He didn't even bother to close the front door, being so distracted with the sway of her fluffy white tail.

She slithered into the tent with him, paw in paw as they comforted themselves against the slew of pillows.

In their current silence, Nick filled a champagne glass full of ice and liquor. A glass he had kindly offered to the vixen, a glass she accepted, but had set aside in order to address the fox by suddenly snaking her arms over his shoulders. With a drunken smile on his muzzle he drew her against him, letting her sit on his lap.

"Sooo," she gave a giggle as the fox sniffed along her collarbone quietly. "How was that big party the seniors threw last night? Heard it was chaotic."

_Ugh, small talk._

Nick shrugged against her. "It was my first time going, not much to see really," he brushed it off in an attempt to seem mature, currently distracted with her outfit. "Definitely way too hyped up."

"Shocker. Everyone said it was great until it got busted." Liz hummed as he neglected to listen, slipping down one of her bralette straps with a smirk, but she protested with a quiet laugh and lifted the string back over her shoulder.  _No fun._

Nick took up the glass sitting beside them, eyeing her legs.  _Beautiful girl, no doubt_ , but he needed more… mental substance. "You said everyone called it great?

Liz blinked. "Uh, yeah."

Nick met her golden eyes with his suddenly serious emerald pair. "Define great."  _Quiz time. Does she know how to express herself intelligently?_

"Well, um," she paused to think, if he could even call it that, glancing down at her wrist watch like she dreaded replying. "Just, y'know… dancing. Ahem. So did you…?"

 _No, no she does not._  He stroked her exposed back with a clawed thumb and refrained making any sarcastic remarks to her unsatisfactory one word answer. "Did I dance? Yes, yes I did." He was suddenly reminded of the provocative dance he shared with a handful of other senior girls. Something he probably shouldn't have thought about, because it was pretty distracting.

"Oh?" Her tail swished slowly. Almost like a metronome.  _Tick, tick, tick._

"Yeah, but anyways I'd like to say that frat parties are a lot more fu—"

Suddenly the small tent was torn up like a tree from its roots from around them, the shelter thrown a ways down the back yard.

Before Nick could adequately react, Liz scrambled away, and all he could sense was a harsh downpour of ragged ice.

Lots and lots of ice, coming down heavily at painful speeds all over him. The solid impact of the frigid currents made him shield his wincing face in a sudden attempt to fend off the attack, but the weights of ice kept pelting down over him nonstop. "Fuck-ing  _stop_!"

And it eventually did. Someone stood over him, breathless.  _Several_  someones.

Looking up and shivering in his now soaked apparel, he recognized the curvy nd scantily dressed figures standing over him.

Mav. Gale. Liz.

Each, whom in fact, were fuming mad.

Nick smiled nervously. " _Laaaadieees_. Wow, you all look undoubtedly gorgeous tonight. Are we having a sleepover?"

"Cut the crap, Nick," Liz hissed, picking up a tiny piece of ice and throwing it against his chest. His smile dropped flat.

"You really thought you could  _simultaneously_ date three upper class mammals without each of us finding out?" Spat the tallest one of them in a British accent, Gale to be precise, who held the dripping trash-size bucket high above her antlers directly over him. Thankfully it was empty, or by the look on Gale's face, that wouldn't have been the last of the raining ice she'd be willing to chuck.

"Dating is a strong word," he drunkenly trailed off with a crack of an irresistible grin, trembling as the night wind chilled him beyond his tolerable limits. "Really just, ah,  _playing the field_ if you will..."

Liz growled, her white fur previously tame and soft now looking frazzled with unrestrained anger. "You told each of us that we were the only girl you were speaking to. Loyal to. The  _only_  one." She stomped. "You liar!"

"Well, in my defense ladies, it's hard to tell you all apart," he weakly snorted. "You're all underwhelming pieces of work, lemme tell ya." Nick should've bit his tongue and let them just gain their rightful vengeance for the sake of getting it over with, but his thoughtless words earned him another bucket-full of ice, this time its contents felt much  _much_  colder. An ice bucket shaken over him by Mav the lynx herself.

The mastermind behind his date hijack, no doubt.

"I see it clear as day now, Wilde. You are, and always have been, such a  _piece of shit_." She tried to throw the emptied trash can at him but he deflected it, making it bounce along the lawn into a slow roll, making her grunt. "Always the same games. No commitment, no promise-keeping. Just playing us like we're… like we're idiots or something!" She growled, kicking the bucket aside, the movement making Nick duck just in case.

His teeth were rattling at this point.  _Is that salt I taste? From salted ice?_   Oh, now he was pissed. "Then I guess you're right." Wasn't that was girls liked to hear, anyway? "You  _are_  a bunch of idiots."

Mav backed away once he stood onto his hind legs, now taller than most of them except for Gale.

With all of his gusto and publicity he swore he was intimidating. But the pearl white vixen disproved that by tugging his damp jeans down to his ankles in a swift motion, completely catching him off guard.

With pants around his ankles the three gawked at him before busting into unanimous laughter. He swore aloud, pulling them right back up to his waist as fast as he could.

"Looks like your personality is making up for something, eh?" Gale breathlessly spoke between giggles, hooves on her stomach.

"Smaller than I remember it feeling, unless you're skilled at stuffing your boxers!" the tawny lynx wheezed.

"What even  _was_  that?" Liz breathed before inspiring another chorus of laughs.

Nick felt a burning sensation underneath his fur, the hair on his neck and chest standing on end in a mixture of humiliation and fury.

_What does she mean, 'what even was that?' Didn't they recognize a fox's sheath when they saw one?_

Ice didn't do his groin's otherwise impressive appearance any favors, either.

"By the way, I've been screwing a senior the entire time I was seeing you. But no hard feelings, right?" Mav taunted in a way that was intended to wound him, but Nick only grunted in response to the lingering body-rocking ice burn they had subjected him to.

"Don't you  _ever_  talk to us.  _Again_." Seethed another one of them, but Nick was too busy wiping the salty residues from his eyes with damp paws to see who said it. His very vision blurred with anger.

In the darkness of the night, the three girls left him there, each turning their backs and marching off in angry struts through the house and out the front door towards the street.

The red fox didn't remain for long, just enough to lament over at the soaked tent, pillows, and pizza.  _They didn't even spare the pizza, the fucking savages._

Maybe if he wasn't painfully cold and completely embarrassed from the manhood-teasing, he would have somehow appreciated the notion of girls uniting for a just cause. For once, each of them showed an appreciative side of themselves, a side that revealed some actual character. Thanks to him. Bravo.

"Wilde got dumped  _hard_!" Came a distant call from his neighbor, Pronk, obnoxiously reveling in the events he had clearly been eavesdropping on like it was some kind of free soap opera. It made Nick's ears drop lower than they had been previously, an annoyed scowl possessing his face.

"Oooh, brutal! Fox wasn't sneaky enough." Bucky responded much to the fox's displeasure. "Poor guy must feel like a failure!"

"Sure got what was comin' to him!"

Nick growled low, his paws balling into fists.

 _Gotta admit I fully deserved it… all of it_ , he thought to himself bitterly as he stubbornly abandoned all his soaked stuff and marched inside his apartment.  _But salted ice? Holy fuck, those girls are rabid._

On his shameful trot back into the house he realized that the only way Mav or the other two would have known about one another was if someone on the outside told them. He did hear that a few of the seniors were gossiping about his suggestively explicit dance with several girls at The Jungle.  _Maybe girls take gossip as unquestionable truth_ , he reasoned,  _and somehow discovered one another through the grapevine and allied together… in the course of just 24 hours._

Holy shit, did rumors spread like wildfire.

Finnick, who apparently seemed like he cared less that a gang of girls had sped in and out of the flat, glanced slowly up from his laptop to regard the sopping wet fox that came in from the kitchen back door. "Uh—"

Nick raised a paw at him. "Don't. You. Say. A _word_."

The fennec fox only watched curiously before the fox hauled off to his room and slammed the door. Fin shook his head amusingly, imagining what cruel hell must have been unleashed upon him out back. A piece of hell that must've been a long time coming.

_Always diggin' his own damn graves._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay for early chapters! :D I never let one character get away with something for too long. Nick def had it coming.
> 
> Thanks for giving this story a read! Maybe I'll still post the next chapter by Friday... or not. Tell me if I should, hahah! Til' next time.


	9. Reflections

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FYI: Lots of feels ahead.

After snacking on all of the fruit in the mini fridge, as offered in Bellwether's letter, Judy rummaged through the medicine stash in her closet and took two pain killers down with another full bottle of water. Even as she crawled into bed and waited for the so-called instantly effective pain relievers to work their magic, it took almost an hour for them to fully kick in.

The sun was starting to set, judging by the colors of red and orange light filtering into the room.

The bunny definitely felt all sorts of foolish for drinking carelessly and jumping to eye-widening conclusions about the fox frat member. At this point, there were two things she realized she wanted to avoid as much as possible: getting drunk beyond her reasonable limits again, and interacting with Nicholas Wilde outside of their latest deal, if she could help it.

Thankfully the bedridden bunny was given some soup by her thoughtful roommate, who entered the room just as the moon began to show itself in the quickly darkening skies. "Heya Judy, how're you feeling?"

Bellwether had not gotten her just  _any_  soup— it was butternut squash soup, conveniently one of the bunny's favorites.

"I'm feeling better now." Judy rolled out of her covers and sat slumped against a folded pillow to accept the warm plastic cup and spoon. "Ugh, I can't thank you enough Dawn," Judy hummed after hastily swallowing a spoonful, spices of nutmeg and paprika in the warm stew making her sigh in delight. "Yum."

"It's no big deal, really. You're looking better." Dawn gave a small smile before noticing Judy's changed outfit. "Did you… go somewhere? You really shouldn't be walking in this condition."

_Oh, I did a lot more than walk_ , Judy bitterly thought as she recalled her panicked sprint to his apartment, the walk back to campus despite the opportunity of a bike ride, and an excruciating march up six flights of stairs. Stairs of a building she had hesitantly trespassed, all to get a fake ID card that cost her all the cash remaining in her wallet. Not only was she physically spent, but her moral ground also took a toll.

The back-and-forth attempts to outdo the fox, and he to her, were the source of all these tribulations. Although Nick definitely started it with his start-of-the-year prank, and Judy definitely deserved to get back at him for it, she began focusing less on payback and more on using his reputation as a crutch to lift herself higher on the publicity ladder. It was an immature tug-of-war in which none of the players were really winning.

But Judy Hopps stubbornly didn't see it that way. She justified her blackmailing of the frat member on the premise that he was one of the lowest foxes she had ever met. To her, his offenses even rivalled that of Gideon Grey's, although their attacks and manipulations took on different forms, each of them showed no inklings of remorse and had no hope of ever changing for the better.

"I just… went out for some fresh air." Judy brushed off the sheep in a murmur before bringing the bowl to her lips and drawing the remainder of the soup into her grateful stomach.

Bellwether gave her glasses a good polish with a handkerchief and, while facing away from Judy, slipped into a long night gown. "Well you really should rest up some more. We've got a big week ahead of us, with Activities Night and all this Wednesday. I've spent all day today planning for it."

"I haven't forgotten," Judy gave a little smile over to the sheep now bundling herself in crunchy blankets atop of her bed. "And hey. Thanks for the note you left. It was pretty sweet of you. I took you up on your fruit and water offer, if you hadn't noticed how suspiciously spacious your mini fridge is by now."

"Oh, hah, well I'm glad. Just thought it was the right thing to do, y'know," Dawn hummed tiredly before yawning. "Just… can that be the one and only time  _that_  happens? Y'know, you coming to the room so late and…"

"Wasted out of my mind?" Judy finished with a sigh. "Yeah… that won't be happening again. I think that one experience is enough for my entire lifetime." The last bit of her sentence came out in a giggle, one Bellwether also softly joined in on.

"Honestly, that's great to hear. By the way… are you staying up for much longer?" The sheep asked through another yawn, pulling on a sleeping mask over her eyes.

Setting the empty cup and spoon on her nearby desk top, the rabbit gently stepped off her bed to stretch, Bellwether's contagious yawn causing Judy to respond by also yawning softly. "Naw, I'm pretty sleepy too. I'll go ahead and hit the light."

Judy walked over to the tall room lamp in front of the window and reached up to grab its long beaded pull-chain.  _Huh. Looks pretty dark outside. Empty too._ Before she managed to tug the metallic cord she swore she saw a peculiar blur out the window, but she blinked at there was nothing but a dark, empty campus whistling with wind.

 

.o0o.

 

It took an hour for Nick to clean himself up and dry off the majority of his fur.

As he looked into the reflection of his bathroom mirror, there was no disputing that the red fox was upset judging by the way his ears had yet lifted from their droop and his lips fought to remain pressed in a cryptic flat line. Being hustled a second time and thrice-dumped in one day tended to have those effects.

So what does a fox, namely this fox, do when he is down-in-the-dumps?

He runs.

In preparation to do so, the fox changed into some dry clothes— a pair of trousers and a green hoodie to be exact, while his previously salt-and-ice-smothered clothes were hanging damp in his closet. Much to his reserved displeasure, his jacket had to stay behind to dry.

Nick waltzed quietly to pick up his iPaw from his dresser's countertop, its drawers lazily stuffed with unfolded clothes and open to different degrees, and shuffled the songs at low volume.

His music collection was filled with only a few modern songs from one central genre: Surfer Rock. It wasn't a taste in music he particularly flaunted because, well, it wasn't what most mammals enjoyed listening to. Even his small flat mate, being a music major, had overheard the music playing aloud once and made a snide comment about it. So the mellow vibes of Surfer Rock was something the red fox enjoyed privately.

Nick glanced at the slightly wet and wrinkled hundred dollar bill he managed to salvage from his Alpha jacket lying flat on the dresser counter.

Judy's money.

Any rash mammal half upset as he was would've taken the money and spent it mindlessly as a treat for an awful day, but he for some reason couldn't bring himself to do it. He hadn't tricked someone for money in a long, long time. Back to when he was just a runt in the streets. Darker times.

With a sigh he left the money on the dresser and made his way towards the apartment front door. On his way to the door knob he was interrupted by a voice that called out to him, one that overshadowed the music ringing through his ear buds.

"You alright, man?" Finnick asked, can of beer in paw as he stood in front of the fridge. "Where ya headed?"

The red fox opened the door. "Yeah. Just going for a run." His tone was indifferent, almost strained. A tone the fennec fox knew all too well and hadn't heard since the previous semester—specifically when Nick had gotten his second strike without getting so much as an acknowledgement from the head Alpha.

Similarly known to the small fox, Nick had a habit of going out for runs in what he assumed was to burn himself out in some kind of therapeutic release. Fin said nothing else when Nick departed from the apartment in a dash, the door shutting in something less than a slam.

Steadily Nick sprinted through the dark streets, his eyes skillfully peeled on his surroundings as a paw slipped into his hoodie pocket and raised the music's volume.

Where exactly did he head to? He hadn't a clue, he never did when he ran. His knowledge of the city streets made it so he couldn't get himself lost, and he never allowed his thoughts to fully distract him from the dangers of oncoming traffic. Focused, he paced his breathing, controlling the raise of his tail and the swing of his arms on either side of him.

In an effort to escape the day's chaos, the fox mentally travelled back to more peaceful times. Times like…

_Mom getting me that Junior Ranger Scouts uniform. Geez, was I smiling from ear to ear._

He turned a corner and dodged around a pedestrian ram, maintaining his stride.

_That time I made that horrible breakfast omelet she still ate on her birthday when I was eleven. Hah._

Nick hopped over a line of traffic cones before crossing onto the next street.

_Getting my acceptance letter to Zootopia University. Seeing how proud she was. How proud I was._

But that pride seemed nonexistent now. Sure, he cared enough about his attendance to the school that when a freshman bunny threatened his expulsion it suddenly mattered again. Maybe, somewhere deep within himself, it always mattered. Somewhere deep beneath this swelling desire to fit in with a posse like he had never fit into before; a posse more united, respected, and feared than any bullying group of Junior Ranger Scouts or hustling street gang. His membership in the fraternity meant much to the fox. He finally felt accepted now, an acceptance that became some immature obsession his mom warned him about after he got his first strike during his freshman year.

" _Never give in to what society thinks of you. You're are, and always will be, so much more than that."_  Her words still lingered in his memory.

But it wasn't that easy. It was hard to dismiss how other mammals treated him simply for being the predator he was born as. And he convinced himself that an alliance in Alpha Preda gave him a new sense of confidence over an identity that once brought him a world of contempt.

At this point in the night the fox found himself on the corner of North Campus.

This was where the main entrance into the university was, where an impressively large golden fountain greeted all those who entered. Even in the dark of night the fountain gleamed from distant street lights almost as magically as it did during daylight hours. An umbrella of water constantly rained down into the large series of wells, where the transparent water took on a bright blue glow as it trickled to the very lowest well and rippled off to the fountain's circular edge.

Nick approached the edge and peered beyond his flowing reflection, seeing the thousands of rusted pennies sitting on the fountain's floor. Thousands of wishes probably made by thousands of mammals, he noted.  _Wonder if any of them came true_.  _Maybe I'll toss in that floppy hundred dollars in for a decent supply of wishes_ , he joked to himself, a weak grin coming on.  _No, I wouldn't actually do that. Kind of a funny thought, though._

If he could wish for anything at this point, it would be to focus on himself. Keep his mind on surviving classes he hardly seemed to care about anymore, try not to go out of his way to impress the head Alpha for that stupid frat house key, and just have fun whenever he got the chance to do so.

That meant no more pranks to get Fang's attention, since they didn't pay off like he hoped they would, and no more pestering a specific bunny that managed to get under his fur an awful lot. Admittedly the freshman bunny was unlike anyone he had ever encountered before, someone with the ability to perpetually hustle him back whenever he thought he had the upperpaw. Strangely, he admired her for it, although her witty bribing tactics proved to challenge his popularity among the Alpha predators.  _Seems like I can't run this campus like I thought after all._  Judy Hopps was definitely giving Nicholas Wilde a reality check.

Also, Nick decided that romantic pursuits were going to take the backburner.

After the catastrophe with his previous three romantic pursuits, his love life was surely in the shitter. But he was okay with that—he'd rather deal with being single than carrying insincere relations with girls that weren't compatible him. It wasn't worth anyone getting heartbroken. He wondered if such a girl that was compatible with him even existed.  _If I find her, I'll get down on one knee in a heartbeat,_ he thought to himself humorously.

The contemplative fox stood in the mist of the fountain for a minute longer before jogging off again, further down the main strip of North Campus, a wide path now mostly uninhabited like it usually was on the weekends.

Nick stopped dead in his tracks when he was struck with a sudden sense of déjà vu.

He ran this path before, many times, and that feeling never failed to reappear.

With emerald eyes on the scratched cobblestone path beneath his feet, his mind drifted back to the memory…

 

A small red fox, gasping for air and running as fast as his little legs could take him. Running onto campus mindlessly, an area not very well known to him at the time, and scurrying around the massive fountain down the main strip.

" _Come back ya damn brat! Yer dead, ya hear me?!"_

By the age of twelve, Nick had developed a knack for hanging around negative influences on city street corners. Some old weasel taught him a card trick, a trick that was meant to effectively distract mammals long enough to pickpocket them from right under their noses. Nick, being as bright as he was, mastered the trick and even enhanced it with a couple of his own creative dialogue and movements. He managed to bamboozle dozens of foreign and clueless pedestrians that walked into his neighborhood.

But one day long ago, he had made a fatal mistake.

Unbeknownst to the fox kit, he had just hustled his first mafia boss. The kingpin was a large polar bear who naively took the bait and even applauded Nick once his trick was done. Little did the white-furred bear know, Nick stole a dense wad of cash from one of the boss' velvety jacket pockets, and suddenly ran off with an innocent smile.

It didn't take long for the ring leader to notice his empty pocket.

" _Wait a second… My money! Sonuva—"_

Nick giggled in his victory as he stopped to rest along a distant side street, but his celebration was cut short when a pack of wolves gained on him from behind. "… _Uh-oh_."

He ran as fast as he could. Nick recalled how hard his heart had pounded against his ribcage, how he was convinced that his hustling days were about to come to a bitter end before he'd even reach puberty.

Once he made it onto the ZU campus he was so panicked and breathless, he knocked into someone while he was looking over his shoulder at his pursuers; he almost sent him and the pedestrian he collided into backwards onto the path grounds, but the mammal caught him and absorbed the blunt force of the collision with planted feet.

Little Nick glanced up as he panted and met eyes with a predator with deep violet eyes.

A red fox.

Wearing a black cap and gown and staring down at the kit with a puzzled expression.

"Whoa. You okay there, buddy? What's the rush?"

Nick wanted to respond but directed his worried eyes over his shoulder at the approaching mafia gang, the wolves taking the lead of the polar bear as they ran on all fours. The timber wolves used their claws against the cobblestone to brake their speed and approached the two foxes, snarling and baring their sharp teeth in an attempt to frighten.

The scared kit held onto the adult male fox's gown, hiding behind him.

"What do you guys want?" The college graduate asked, his voice sounding so brave and strong to the kit he shielded.

"That little street vermin yer holding…" panted the polar bear once he caught up, "…stole my  _god damn_  money. He's a dirty thief. Shifty foxes like you'se two are better off  _dead_."

Nick remembered audibly gasping from the words. His heart dropping.

Then he recalled the older fox leaning down and taking the wad of cash pocking out of Nick's slightly torn sweater pocket. Nick glanced up and watched the older fox toss the wad back to the polar bear who eagerly caught it.

"Not good enough," the mafia boss groused. "Give me the rat. And just maybe we'll leave you be."

The wolves beckoned closer, and Nick clung tighter against the graduate who sighed deeply.

He lifted up a strange necklace from his shoulders. A medal of some kind. "This is made of authentic gold. Worth a lot more than that wad of cash, and should compensate for any trouble the kit caused." The young fox watched in awe as the medal necklace was tossed over and caught by a wolf, who sniffed and nodded in an affirmative gesture towards his boss.

Without words, the polar bear took the necklace with a pleased smile and snapped his claws, leading himself and his terrorizing group off campus.

Nick remembered watching them leave in utter relief.

"Hey, buddy. What's your name?" The older fox knelt down so he was eye-level with the calmed kit. Nick looked over at the older fox's clothes curiously, noticing the odd square cap he wore and the golden tassel dangling in front of his muzzle.

"…Nicholas," he chirped quietly, his small paws fumbling in front of him.

"Well, Nicholas…" The college graduate offered a kind smile. "You're pretty clever, huh? But you should put that brain of yours to better use." Nick remembered the fox advising him to stay off the streets. Also asked him a question that forever changed the course of his life. "Ever heard of Zootopia University?"

Small Nick shook his head slow.

The older fox chuckled. "It's a wonderful place full of opportunity for any mammal that attends. You heard me right— _any_  mammal. Mice, elephants, tigers… even foxes." Smirking, he lifted the strange cap off his head and placed it on Nick, the large cap tilting slightly over the kit's eyes. When Nick pushed the cap upwards, the college graduate was gone, leaving him the hat as a reminder of him.

Or perhaps, a reminder of his message.

 

Ever since that day, Nick wanted to attend ZU although his high school friends dismissed it as a childish fantasy.

" _If that fox can graduate college,"_  he remembered countering,  _"Then so can I!"_

To help his single mother with the bills and keeping food on the table, he hustled on the side of attending high school, evolving his tactics to Popsicle selling so as to avoid mafia bosses and harsh city gangs.

He made somewhat of a name for himself on the streets but that didn't mean others authentically respected him. To them, he was just a so-called shifty fox doing his stereotypical part in society, after all. But the young Nicholas Wilde refused to believe them.

When he got his ZU acceptance letter, Nick proved his classmates and even some prejudiced teachers wrong.  _It was absolutely exhilarating._   _One of the best, if not the best, moments of my life._  His mom had used most of her savings to help him with any outlying costs his scholarship didn't cover, a sacrifice he certainly was still grateful for. He picked up the slack by using his own hustle-money to buy his textbooks.

Back then, Nick was a different fox. Sensitive, naïve. And completely enamored to be at the place he had wished to attend since that fateful encounter with the graduated fox.  _I'm going to make the most of this_ , he'd used to think.  _I'm going to graduate and get a great job to support mom. Not sure what job, but something. Because foxes can do anything_.

But his optimistic spirit was crushed upon his first weeks at ZU, when he attempted to make friends and join clubs, only to be turned down or disregarded as untrustworthy. For some reason, he thought ZU was void of the outside world's negativity. Like it was a bubble of peace away from society, a place all mammals truly got along in. But he was wrong. It was very much like the real world, where the majority lacked faith in foxes.

So he became somewhat of a social outcast very early on, and unfortunately started to believe what they thought of him was true.

Until Alpha Preda came along.

He saw the way those predators were respected and instantly knew he wanted to be a part of it. Once accepted after a brutal hazing process, his pride for being a fox wasn't just restored, it was amplified into arrogance.

He changed entirely since then, and he very much realized that. Whether it was for the better, well, that was personally up for debate in his mind.

Nick smiled as he stood in the very spot he received the graduation cap. It was stowed away securely in his bed room in a shoe box under his bed. Not a mark or tear on it since he got it almost nine years ago.  _I'll never lose that cap._

In a better mood now, the red fox continued on in his run, thinking back over the good memories with a small grin.

_If only I could find that fox again, so I can thank him._

His jog slowed once more when he reached a fork in the path. Taking a right, he continued forward, keeping his breath steady as he ran to East Campus.  _What would I tell the guy if I met him, anyway? Thanks for inspiring me to come to ZU… I'd like some advice. College has been, uh, tough… so how'd you honestly survive with being a fox and all? What field did you study? Were you a part of Alpha Preda?_

 

Before he realized it he stood in front of another campus setting where his life as a student at ZU had changed entirely.

 

Hornstein Hall.

 

Where he intentionally collided against a star-gazing bunny and tricked her into letting him inside the freshman dorm. She looked so afraid of him when she first met his eyes, an expression that was no stranger to him. He wasn't surprised she was scared of a stranger-fox.  _She's a bunny, after all. Don't really see too many of them in the city. Bet there aren't too many foxes where she's from either._

But he did see how Judy's expression changed from fear to acceptance once he asked for help (albeit, dishonestly). Her trust came so willingly, it almost baffled him. Nick knew the moment she regarded him kindly and led him to the side door to sneak him in, any previous fear or distrust in her had melted away. Judy had seen some potential good in him he didn't see in himself anymore. She trusted him without any good reason to, faster than any non-fox mammal had ever trusted him before.

_She was… different._  That was the only way he could describe her. Something worth noting.

Then Nick realized how he shattered that bunny's trust without so much of a doubt.

Maybe a part of him, a noble part of him, regretted the prank altogether. Another part, the part of him obsessed with the publicity it gave him, didn't regret it in the slightest.

Nick peered up to a lit window on the fourth floor and spotted the very bunny in his thoughts walking towards a source of ight.  _The almighty Judy Hopps_ , he smiled to himself at the title he mocked often.  _The name definitely suits you, fluff._

He watched her for a moment as she reached up for something and his breath hitched when she looked out the window. He swore she looked right at him. With wide eyes, he dashed again, hiding around the bend of the building with the hopes that she actually didn't spot him.  _Don't wanna look like a weirdo stalker now, do we?_

The fox's run had done the trick. Not only did he manage to shake off today's unfortunate events, he was reminded of his old, good-spirited self; the Nicholas Wilde that once had hope in society, a version of him that was recalled with the help of the violet-eyed fox from his past that believed in his potential. A particular little bunny with strikingly similar violet eyes also helped, since she was first mammal since the college graduate to give him the benefit of the doubt.

_Was there a chance of ever getting that trust back?_

It was then that his playlist of music ended. Swiftly he restarted it from the top before starting his walk back to the flat.

 

.o0o.

 

By Sunday morning the grueling state of the rabbit's body had come to an end. She could extend her arms without wincing and lift her head without the consequence of a headache. It was a relief to see that the hangover wasn't an eternal consequence for her thoughtless drinking.

_Well, I guess I should check in with mom and dad to prove I managed to survive a whole week! But first, laundry time._

Once her clothes were cleaned, folded and tucked away, Judy made sure she looked presentable enough to video chat her parents.

Muzzletiming them was supposed to be brief, really just a check-in to show them that she was doing just fine. But it lasted quite a bit longer than she originally hoped.  _A lot_  longer.

At first the aspiring college graduate told her parents all about her first week of classes and how she made a ton of new friends, purposefully leaving out the first night prank and police-busted party that would have without a doubt inspired concern in the two older bunnies.

"Also just got done doing laundry. Whew, it takes  _forever_  here when you've only got three sets of washers and dryers on the whole floor, but fifteen other girls trying to use them at the same time," the young bunny laughed, her knees raised against her chest.

"Sounds like you're adjusting just fine, sweetie," her mother hummed, half to the phone held by her husband and half to the wrapped bundles in her arms. The newest litter was so much bigger already, Judy recalling how tiny they were before she went off to Zootopia only a week ago. "We're glad you're safe."

"Abso-lutely-tutely. You can always call-  _Tim! Tim, get down from there!_ " Stu yelled off-camera before he cleared his throat and started up right where he left off. "You call us anytime, Jude. We mean it—not like we're getting much sleep with the youngins anyhow."

"Oh, you've got that right. They are a noisy bunch, all eight of them." Bonnie shook her head.

"Not the only noisy ones either! Judy, your other brothers and sisters have been chatting nonstop recently about who gets to take your room now that you're gone," he chuckled.

"Sounds about right," the Judy smirked softly, almost longingly at the thought of the little brats. "I miss you all so much."

"Aw, darling. We miss you too." Her father assured with a small grin.

"Have you been eating?" Came the typically concerned voice of her mother.

Judy nodded into the camera, adjusting herself as she scooted her desk chair so that her elbows rested on the desk top. "Every day, three times a day, as usual—"

" _Oh heavens-to-betsy!_  Bonnie, darling!" Stu gasped with wide amber eyes honed into the camera and thus filling Judy's screen with an awkward close-up up his face.  _Flared nostrils and all, oh joy._  His gasp caught all who heard it by surprise, especially Bonnie who tore her attention away from the sleeping newborns against her bosom. "Judy,  _what in tarnation_  is that on your paw?"

Her left paw, which had been nonchalantly holding her cheek, bared the dark black 'X' drawn onto her fur from admittance into the party Friday night, and Judy had completely forgotten about it. Quickly she stashed her hand under her desk and manifested the most innocent smile possible.

"What on my paw, now? Hah, dad, I think you've been working the fields a little too hard today! Maybe that new fertilizer's messing with your vision?" Judy's excuse was her honest best, exerting an uneasy giddiness, her ears drooping at the sight of her mother's skeptical expression.

"Now Judy." Her father's voice lowered inn pitch like it always did before he reproached his children. "I know darn well what I saw on ya, you can't fool me. I've seen marks like that before! Th-that was…" He furrowed his brow as he mustered up the courage to say it like it was an absolute disgrace. " _A tattoo!_ "

"Oh my word!" Bonnie gasped, nearly leaping out of her seat at the thought of it. "Judith Laverne Hopps! Is this true? Did you use that money you saved up to get yourself a paw tattoo?" Putting the kits down in a their crib, her free paws rested on her hips in a scolding fashion that usually meant someone in the family was in huge trouble.

Judy groaned as she watched them panic over the misunderstanding, the two babbling aloud mindlessly as they made wild accusations. "Oh god, mom, no—"

"It's those no-good city kits, they're influencing her!" He breathed in aghast realization.

"Oh Stu, I think it's the work of a city gang…  _fox bikers_  I bet! It was in an urban legend documentary I watched on TV!" her mother exclaimed, fright evident in her voice. Judy looked at her incredulously, shaking her head.

"You guys—"

Her father stood up fast, the phone in his hold shaking with the abrupt movement. "Quick, we've got to get the truck and—"

" _Dad!_ " She snapped, getting their attention at last. Hesitantly she lifted up her marked paw and showed it to them. "It's just spray paint. You see?" With her other paw, she rubbed the ink so it faded a bit, and presented them the now blurred symbol again. The two on the line watched with surprise.

"Ooooh, what a relief!" Stu laughed breathlessly, soothing the wrinkles on his face with his fingers.

"To think our Judy has been going off doing anything rebellious!" Her mother shook her head in relief, her words making the bunny stifle a giggle. "She was just doodling on herself, Stu." Bonnie chided her husband, rocking the bundles in the crib who had stirred from their previous yelling.

"Sorry Jude, we sorta jumped to conclusions," he laughed weakly as Judy exhaled deeply, completely thankful that Bellwether was not in the room to hear her parents' embarrassing blunder. Seemed like jumping to conclusions was in the Hopps bloodline.

"We just care about you, sweetie. We only want you to be safe out there."

A part of her wanted to tell them then, suddenly, the real meaning of the paw mark. Maybe then, when they'd realized how she was off in the real world doing adult-ish things, just maybe they'd regard her like a grown-up instead of some weak young kit that needed constant protection. Maybe they'd stop underestimating her abilities, stop their worrying, and finally treat her as an equal.

But she knew that wouldn't happen. Not in a million years, they'd never understand her if she could help it.

"It's alright," Judy murmured with a small forced smile. "I'm just really exhausted, so… I think I'm gonna call it a night." With a quick exchange of goodbyes laced with apologetic smiles, she hung up, and let herself fall onto her bed with a tired groan.

 

.o0o.

 

Come Monday morning with no pesky fox in sight, her Criminal Justice 101 professor reminded the class that the first exam would be held in a week. "Next Monday you'll all be taking the first test. 15 Questions. First two are multiple choice format, the rest are short response…"

Judy made no hesitation to note it in her decorated planner in bold and underlined lettering. It would be her very first college exam, the first exam of the semester, and it was in the class she thought was the most material-dense. Covering chapters 1 to 8 of the textbook, it would no doubt be a tough one to crack. No matter what, she had to prioritize it over any proposes to hang out or party.

Oh, if only it were that simple.

Buzz! Buzz, buzz, buzz…

_We're gonna hotbox my car tonight if ya wanna join!_

_Hey Judy! Wanna get our claws done?_

_Let's go out for dinner, my treat!_

So many texts, and the majority from friends that she had made within her short time at the university. They were inviting her left and right to lunch dates, mall runs, movie nights, all of it. The notifications were endless.

Even in the middle of her classes, her phone would go off in her bag or jean pockets. The rabbit was so happy to feel included for once, she didn't decline them and figured she'd reserve the entire day on Sunday to studying for the test. 24 hours-worth of study time was plenty for her advanced placement high school examinations, so she guessed it would also be more than enough time for an introductory level college course test.

Judy was pretty confident about her ability to grasp material, so much so that she didn't doubt her chances of acing this test like every other she had so far in her life. She couldn't even recall the last time she ever scored lower than a 90.

Also an obligation, there was one other event she had to remember to attend on Wednesday:

Activities Night.

According to Benjamin, the gymnasium event was going to have a 'tame' after party held at the ZU League of Gamers' house off campus. It was publicly open to all who wanted to attend. Club presidents and founding members were especially encouraged to come.

"I've been to it before. It's pretty low-key, not considered much of a big deal. Also BYOB, unless you buddy up with someone that brought drinks." They cheetah informed. "Last time I went they just played video games and cards all night, although sometimes they do inflate the bouncy-house…"

The gym was a large room already prepped with rows of lined up tables, small signs on each to designate each club. As Bellwether and Judy worked tirelessly with Mabel and Clawhauser to get the poster board and table décor ready for the gymnasium event starting in just a few minutes, Judy tried to convince the white sheep to attend the party later on that night for the sake of spreading the new club title. And admittedly, to encourage her roommate to live a little.

"You're the president," the bunny tried to reason. "All the other club presidents will be there, don't you want to represent for PL?"

"Not if it means it'll be like The Jungle." Dawn grumbled as she taped down a colorful tissue paper border around their table. The campus-held event was the only thing evident on Bellwether's mind as of late, besides studying nonstop for hours. "I saw how you were that night you came back, and  _nope_ , nuh-uh. End up like you or worse? I'm  _good_."

Judy scowled lightly at her wooly roommate for the mention of her being black-out drunk.  _Kind of a low blow._

Clawhauser finished tying navy colored balloons he had blown to each leg of the table. "Man, took me  _foreeever_  to tie these bad boys down," Clawhauser sighed cheerfully in an attempt to ease the tension in the air between the two roommates.

"I've been to the after party before too, and I can tell you now it's nothing like The Jungle," Mabel chipped in, helping Judy convince their stubborn club president.

So far the table looked great- with the title 'Pawlitics and Law' on the top in bold gold lettering, a small typed description of the club beneath it, and printed pictures of the four founding members.

"Think of it… as a networking event," Judy pitched, flashing a convincing smile.

Dawn sighed, looking between her secretary and treasurer. "Okay fine. Buuut I am not having any alcohol what-so-ever. And I am not staying long either." The frustrated look on her face melted away as she took a step back to admire their work. "Wow. We did great, you guys! I just looove how this is coming together!" Bellwether squeaked happily as she walked around the table to slowly admire it. "Oh, I knew we were forgetting something." She dug through her knapsack and brought out a polished wooden gavel and sound block with golden accents. The sheep made it the center piece of the table, in front of the poster, and it all came together at last. "There!"

"It looks great, Dawn. Makes us look  _reeal_  official," Mabel complimented as she threw some purple and yellow festive confetti over the table for a little dash of school spirit.

"I second that- did you buy that just for this occasion?" Judy asked as she lifted the gavel to inspect it in awe.

"Nope, it's a prop from the theater department. A certain someone helped me rent it out," Bellwether laughed, giving Ben's stomach a poke, who bashfully giggled.

"Could've fooled me," Judy gave the hammer a test knock against the block, which tempted Clawhauser to give it a try.

Meanwhile, other clubs started to prepare their own tables, the gym beginning to get crowded as club members flocked around the tight lanes between rows. Since the PL table was all set, Judy took her downtime as an opportunity to walk around the room and inspect the different extracurriculars the school had to offer before the event would start.

She paced gingerly around and saw a variety: a chess team led by a confident moose, a comic book club championed by a giraffe and woodchuck, a few a cappella groups, an LGBT group, even clubs dedicated to every district and species pride. She recognized a few friendly faces and greeted them before continuing her smooth stroll through the aisles.

Judy didn't expect the sounds of the doors, which swung open following a loud  _"Welcome to Activities Night!"_  through the speakers.

An ocean of students swarmed in pretty fast which caught the bunny off guard, definitely a good chunk of the student body.  _I really gotta get back to the PL table_.

But the sudden influx of mammals was going to make that task a lot more challenging. Judy began to work her way around tables as best as she could, still a ways away from where her friends were. She couldn't even see PL from her spot in the crowded gym.

"Pardon me! Sorry, just trying to get through!" She grunted, trying to maneuver around larger mammals.

"Excuse me, would you be interested in wrestling?" Came a voice from behind her, and she turned on her heels to address them.

"Sorry, but I have to head back to—"

 

She began to excuse herself but stopped short. Her eyes widened.

 

Standing in front of her was her reflection.

 

_Another bunny._

 

"No need to apologize if you're not interested," the rabbit kindly spoke, his accent thick as he did. He wore sports under armor, probably the long-sleeve uniform for the ZU wrestling team. It did remarkable justice to his shape, defining every toned muscle within his chest and arms.

He had piercing blue eyes that reflected just as much pleasant surprise as Judy's, his arm bandaged for fighting purposes as he made an offer to shake her paw. "A pleasure to meet you. The name's Jack Savage."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now, I know what some of you may be thinking. Cliché love triangle alert. Well I'm here to confirm that is not at all the direction in which I want to take this story. I don't see much value on making Jack a romantic competitor for Nick, well, because I'm just that much of a WildeHopps shipper. Hahah, so rest assured! He serves another purpose for our protagonist ;D
> 
> Really love this chapter title, since it is a theme I play with a bit in Judy's and Nick's POVs. Also, I chose Surfer Rock to be Nick's favorite genre because I thought it suited him (with him wearing Hawaiian patterned shirts in the movie and all) so I figured he was the kind that liked mellow electric. If you've never heard the modern stuff, I recommend giving The Growlers (the band) a listen.
> 
> In case there is anyone who is unsure of who Jack Savage is: he's essentially a pseudo-canon character of an earlier version of the Zootopia film that was scrapped out of the plot. Think of him kind of like a bunnified James Bond.
> 
> I've published two chapters because, well, why not? :D Thanks for the read!


	10. Tipsy Wool

The stunned bunny accepted his paw and shook it, his grip impressive. "Judy… Judy Hopps," was all she managed to say, a kind smile spreading over her features as she met this icy blue eyes. With black streaks in his cheek fur and along his ears, he was handsome, appearing much different than the average buck in Bunnyburrow.

"Not often do I encounter another rabbit at ZU," he noted with a lighthearted smile as he released her paw and gestured to his table. "Would you happen to be interested in learning about the wrestling team?"

Although it wasn't the best decision to procrastinate her duties as a PL founding member, she nodded excitedly, stepping beside him so that she could admire his table and poster. His poster was on the plain side, still elegant in its own respects, with the words 'ZU Wrestling' in print along the top of the board. Below it were pictures of medals, trophies, and Jack himself as the centerpiece photo. A bit of a narcissistic display, in her opinion.

"Where's the rest of your team?" She asked curiously, seeing the handiwork yet no other members present.

Jack's muzzle formed a mildly proud grin. "I'm the  _only_  founding member," he informed her, his arms crossing over his chest as he spoke. "Not really looking to share my club leadership with others, really. Just seeking to train mammals unfamiliar with wrestling, maybe try to get ZU a spot in the championships."

"Wooow. Really cool," Judy gushed, meant to have only thought that.

He made a low laugh. "Thank you," the striped rabbit looked over the smaller, his eyes flashing over her form almost inquisitively. "Have you ever rumbled before?"

"Uh, rumbled?" She tilted her head in confusion.

"You know.  _Scrimmage, tiff, tussle_ …" he trailed on with a bit with a humorous smile, one that earned him a somewhat sarcastic sigh of understanding from the doe once she caught onto his teasing use of unfamiliar lingo.

"Oh-  _wrestling_. Well, not professionally, but my siblings and I used to get pretty rowdy," she laughed lightly. "I want to become a cop someday, so I think knowing a few tricks could probably come in handy." The last bit of information sharing made Judy bite her tongue.

"Really?" One of his dark brows raised with pleasant surprise. "Well, I'll be damned."

"Yeah." Judy exhaled in surprise. No one had ever reacted so positively to her confession before.  _This is a first_. "It's been kind of my dream since I was a kid, actually."

"Then I think you'd make a nice addition to the team, Judy." Jack smiled charmingly before grabbing a clip board from his table and handing it to the bunny facing him. "Just jot down an email or number in which I can contact you. I'll be sending out a meeting schedule soon this week."

Without missing a beat, Judy swiftly signed and put down her cell phone number, hoping he didn't notice the slight shake of excitement in her paws as she did so. "So I guess that makes me the first official mammal to join your team?" She peeked up at him.

He took the clipboard from her once she was done and nodded. "Sure seems like it. Truly hope to see you for practice, so keep an eye out for your phone. It was certainly a delight becoming acquainted with you, Judy Hopps."

She smiled and walked away, still in shock.  _A wrestling rabbit? How cool is that?_

After struggling past the hordes of students, she made her way to the PL table only to find two other members instead of the three.

"Judy, where  _were_  you?" Mabel asked, a bit panicked. "Bellwether set out to find you, since you're, well…"

"The most social in our group," Clawhauser finished her statement, his face in a pout. "We aren't getting any signatures, mammals are just walking around us."

"I'm sorry guys, it got so crowded in here, just took me a while to find my way back," Technically, that was true. "But no worries, I'll attract some mammals. Someone go find Bellwether?"

"Right here," the sheep huffed, squeezed between a buffalo and an antelope before managing to get to the PL table. "Geez Judy, where were you? The first few minutes are crucial, now all the students are snagged up by the other clubs," she whined with a moan.

"I was… I met a new friend," she admitted. "But I'm here now. So let's get this ball rolling."

 

.o0o.

 

The fun-magnet bunny managed to go out with her new pals every day of the week, including Octavia and Priscilla from next door, and admittedly had a blast doing so.

In fact she dismissed herself early from Activities Night just so she could meet up with Fru Fru and her other friends for a shopping spree and tiny cupcakes.

"Don't forget, get to the Activities night after party by 8 pm, we'll see you there!" Clawhauser reminded before Judy was whisked away by her new senior friends.

Judy was alarmed to see that Fru had ordered a party bus for them to get to the mall, a bus filled with a dozen other giggly senior girls that all seemed to be really close friends. Being the youngest and less gossipy amongst them, it was trying to fit in and seem likable throughout the ride.

Once at the mall, which was a diversity-friendly center full of large and small shopping stores, Judy grabbed a few daring items and was encouraged by the other girls to do so. Lingerie, thongs, actual party apparel, and more. Items that made the rabbit blush in embarrassment, but items she had gotten nonetheless.

" _Ya gotta live a little, Judy!"_

Maybe they were right, maybe her wardrobe was indeed in need of an upgrade.

All the stuff the girls got was bought on Fru's credit card, because the shrew absolutely insisted that she'd cover all expenses for her less financially fortunate friends. "Oh hush, you don't owe me a thing Judy!"

Afterwards at the bakery, which was apparently owned by Fru Fru's grandmother, the group of girls had a blast chit chatting and nibbling away at cupcakes whereas the rabbit ate the tiny morsels whole. Their conversations were mostly revolved around Judy and the famous prank everyone seemed to still be taking about. Being at the center of attention was starting to feel tiring to the doe, but she played along to enjoy the time, even quoting herself from that night to entertain her guests although she felt like she was making a spectacle of herself.

By the time they had wrapped up it was 9:58 pm.

The bunny was just done laughing when she glanced down at the time displayed on her phone screen. "Hold on a sec… I'm late!" Judy gasped as she saw the time on her phone and suddenly remembered where she was supposed to be. The Activities Night after party.  _Crap._

Thankfully a very understanding arctic shrew managed to send her in a limo over to the address of Hornstein (to drop off all five bags of new clothes) then to the League of Gamers' house, a favor that she insisted did not need to be repaid. Judy sat on the leather seat of the car, trying to make small talk with the polar bear driver who remained silent, so she just sat anxiously awaiting to arrive.

Once the limo pulled up to the house Judy quickly thanked the driver and exited the fancy vehicle, a low mumble of music heard just beyond the house's front door. Without the faint music she wouldn't have thought there was a party going on at all in this quiet city suburb, since no one was seen outside and there was no sign of littered drinks like at The Jungle.

The rabbit approached the entrance and rung the bell; not long thereafter she was welcomed in by a rhino with a helmet on.

"You'se came a tad too late for the bounce house," he gave a rich laugh as she stepped in. "Snack table still runnin' though!"

Unlike the jungle, this home looked much more like mammals had actually lived in it. On shelves stood trophies and mounted on the walls were pictures of the gaming team, all illuminated with rainbow lights radiating from a spinning disco ball hanging from the ceiling.

Naturally she figured Clawhauser would have gravitated towards the table of snacks, so Judy ventured past the mammals lounging and playing board games until she was in the kitchen. Inside was a low-key atmosphere where speaking to others over the music didn't prove a challenge. There were a considerable number of attendants but not many from the inner crowds, she realized _. Makes sense, since it's a party open to anyone at the gamer's league house no less, why would the cool mammals want to come?_

When the snack table was vacant of any snacking party guests Judy was almost puzzled. "Did you see a cheetah and two sheep together recently?" The bunny asked a gazelle commandeering the kitchen snacks, but she responded with a shake of her head.

Onward she checked the last open space the house had open to the public: the fenced yard out back. A lot smaller and more contained than at the previous party house.

As Judy stepped outside she spotted the bouncy house, a colorful castle made of blown plastic, now being slowly deflated much to the apparent grief of several on-looking mammals. Judy recognized the black wool of a familiar friend in the crowd, Mabel, and quickly took to her side with an apologetic grin.

"Um, heyyy. Sorry I'm late. What did I miss?"

The black sheep looked over at the PL treasurer and let out a sigh like she was impersonating the depressed bouncy house. "A lot. So, uh, Bellwether, she…"

Judy crossed her arms in concern and patiently nodded, encouraging the sheep to go on.

"She... got pretty tipsy and threw up in the bouncy house," Mabel admitted with a mumble. "She's not… she's not taking it well."

" _What_? Whoa, where is she?" Her violet eyes darted around the yard with the hopes of spotting her.

"Yeah she's sitting on the grass way on the other side of the yard. Ben's trying to sober her up, but she's in a pretty sour mood."

With some convincing, Mabel led Judy to where the other two PL members crouched on the yard, the sound of drunk whining becoming more audible as they neared. Dawn held Clawhauser's arm and dug her face into it, speaking nonsense as he let her mentally unload.

"Hey look, Judy's here," Ben whispered to her which made the white lamb peer up and immediately try to gather herself.

"Dawn, you doing alright?" The concerned bunny knelt beside her and brought a paw to her roommate's back.

"Yes, yes, I'm fantastic. Absolutely fantastic." She assured with a slight slur, pointing her hoof up to the bunny and narrowing her eyes. " _Fantastic_."

" _Uh-huh_ , well," the bunny withheld a sarcastic smile. "Wanna head home now?" Judy offered to lift her up with a paw, and without much hesitation the sheep accepted it, being lifted up onto her wobbly feet.

"You want help bringing her back? I'll arrange a Zuber." Clawhauser considerately asked as he tapped away on his phone, then pushed himself up onto his feet and pat the soil off of his pants.

" _No_ ," Dawn quipped loudly, taking the mammals around her off guard. "Judy's got me, so go on and mope about your  _oh-so beloved_  bouncy house I  _killed_!" she spat drunkenly towards her VP and secretary, colliding into Judy who caught her just in time.

"Oh um, it's already arranged…" Ben murmured low, his ears dropping. "It'll be here in five minutes."

"Hey girl, stay with me, we're gonna catch it back, alright?" Judy arched a concerned brow at the teetering sheep who glared over at the deflated bag that was once the fun fortress of the party.

"Ugh, just take me home?" She grunted, hugging the bunny who returned the gesture to calm her.  _Her wool is unbelievably soft._

The duo made their leave, some mammals cheering for the flustered sheep who they somehow managed to get to drink. Otherwise they made a swift and quiet leave. The bunny easily supported the sheep with an arm around her middle and lifted her into their Zuber ride, all the while trying to speak encouragingly to the sheep.

"I just wanted to loosen up, ya know?" Bellwether sighed with her head against the back of the leather seat, sounding like she was on the brink of tears. "They were so nice…offered me beers and I felt so… so cool, y'know?"

"I totally understand Dawn. No worries, we're almost home. You're doing great." Judy did her best, managing the brunt of the weight of the lamb, guiding her forth.

She truly did understand. Sometimes being a high-strung overachieving maniac was utterly exhausting, lonely, and definitely tedious to upkeep. It seemed the sheep had experimented a little too eagerly, something that Judy directly related to.

"If it's any consolation," Judy hummed sweetly to the flustered sheep. "I think I was way,  _way_  worse than you are now when I got back from The Jungle. I can't even remember how the night ended," she admitted with a laugh, and it earned a quiet chuckle from Dawn.

"Ooh yeah. What-a-night." Dawn smirked drunkenly. "Oh my god, you were  _sooo_  out of it, I thought I had to call an ambulance!" She giggled at the thought. She then took her glasses off in an attempt to wipe them on her shirt. "Thankfully Nick talked me out of it."

"…What?" Judy was so startled she released her grip on Bellwether for a moment, causing the sheep to drop her glasses on the floor of the vehicle. Quickly the bunny recovered, scooping up the red framed glasses and examining them.  _Not broken, thank goodness._

Judy stared down at the glasses in her possession for a long moment.  _Nick was in her room?_

"Aw, fiddlesticks. Where'd they go?" Bellwether whined, eyes pinched closed until Judy slipped them over her ears. "Ah. There they are."

"When did Nick talk you out of the ambulance?" The bunny asked eagerly.

"Uh…" Her roommate paused for a moment to hiccup. "When he brought you back. It was  _super_  late."

Judy's eyes were wide when she nodded her roommate on to continue.

"He snuck- _hic_ -in after some other girls coming back in the- _hic_ -building. He used your key to open the door, scared the living- _hic_ -daylights outta me." she managed to say while battling the wave of hiccups, cupping her mouth. "Oh god, are we almost home?"

"Almost, but keep going."

"Ugh," she sighed, closing her eyes. "So yeah, I thought it was another one of his dumb pranks. But then I saw he had you." She shook her head slow. "You weren't conscious. He basically carried you up to the fourth floor."

Judy bit her lip, suddenly made aware of how  _actually_  bad she was that night, even though she had just made light of it to comfort Bellwether. It was embarrassing to even imagine.  _How did he know which room was mine?_  Then the bunny realized he must've used the engraved number '402' on her silver dorm key.

"But he said you'd be fine, said he was a pro at drunk mammals or- _hic_ \- whatever. You managed to crawl into bed on your own. You responded to some of my questions… you said you were fine. So I didn't call for help." Her head bobbed forward suddenly, and Judy was sure to hold her from slipping off her seat.

Judy didn't know what to think.

Of course, she didn't understand why he'd help her at all. Giving her his jacket too, to top it off.  _Didn't he… hate me?_

"But at least… at least you didn't  _murder a bouncy house_ ," Bellwether began to sob aloud again, catching the attention of the driver who looked disturbed judging from his cringing eyes in the rear view mirror. Judy's ears stood on end at the sound of her piercing cry, and she instantly made to comfort her.

"No Dawn, you didn't murder anything." Judy tried to reassure the distraught lamb. ''You just got sick from what I guess was, well, a combo of jumping around and drinking too much alcohol."

"Don't tell me what I already know, Judy," Dawn hissed tiredly.

The rabbit had to hold back a laugh at how fiery the sheep became. "Alriiiight. It's okay, just focus on breathing. I can already see campus from the window." It was true, from the car window to her right she saw the familiar palm trees and waving school flag, as well as a series of distant academic buildings separated by green lawns.

Within minutes she brought the wobbly sheep up the Hornstein Hall elevator and lifted her into her bed, where the sheep rolled over and started snoring almost as soon as she hit the mattress.

"Geez," Judy sighed, draping the yarn blanket over the drunken mammal.

If Nick had indeed done this for Judy, then she was suddenly grateful towards the fox. Immensely grateful.

Judy had done it for Dawn because she cared for her roommate as an individual, cared for her on a personal level, even though the sheep proved often difficult and overtly stubborn; Dawn was still someone deserving of the rabbit's respect. Taking her home wasn't solely based out of obligation as a roommate, no, it was because she saw Bellwether as a friend.

Judy didn't necessarily consider herself to be Nick's friend. Oh, far from it.

In this one experience alone, Judy realized that guiding a drunk mammal home was no easy task. Why he would do it for her still remained an odd mystery her mind simply couldn't sort out.

After a long thoughtful shower and slipping into clean pajamas, the bunny held her phone in both paws as she sat on the edge of her bed.

_Nicholas Wilde, for some weird inexplicable reason, you brought me home that night when you didn't have to. You could've left me, but you didn't. You didn't even rub it in my face._

_You even gave me your sweater._

_Although I'm not sure why you did, you made sure I was safe._

_It's… unlike you._

Judy hesitated before she started to write a new message with quick fingers.

 

**(11:48 pm) J: Hey Slick. I found out you walked me home Friday night. So I just wanted to say… thanks.**

 

.o0o.

 

Smoke filled his lungs, a familiar heavy warmth that flooded his chest in that pleasant way, before he expelled the fumes out into the air with a low, restrained cough.

The top ranking members were enjoying what they called a 'smoke break' although just  _what_  they were taking a break from surely was a question worth asking.

Nick passed the blunt on to Delgato, who took the lit roll of tobacco and weed and puffed it a few times. The fox leaned back against the black chain-link gate behind him and inhaled some cool air with the intent of returning some of that good ol' oxygen back into his system, but then he was made suddenly aware of his breathing, and tried to make the rises and falls of his chest look normal.

He was faded as hell.

Probably a little more than he felt comfortable being. The fox stuffed his paws into his pockets in an effort to seem perfectly fine and comfortably sober, although his reddened eyes deceived his effort. It wasn't exactly his idea to get so mind-numbingly stoned with the guys since they smoked like fucking tank engines, but he didn't want to pass up the opportunity to hang exclusively with the frat inner circle now that he was a part of it. If he was worthy to chill with the big guns, why would he say no?

"Most of the girls on campus just ain't for me, man. Know what I mean? I'm just not feelin' em," the hyena commented in a mumble, smoke pouring from his nostrils. "They're  _jokes_. Just wanna date us Preds for the publicity. Ya feel me?"

"I feel ya boss," replied Griffin, albeit a bit more humorously, taking the blunt and nearly finishing it in a single long drag that made Nick somewhat grateful it would probably go out before it reached him again in their circle formation.

"Yeah, yeah exactly," Fang held in a cough, an urge he opposed with a hard knock against his chest. "You get me, Wilde?" The alpha looked over at the red fox, his eyes lidded.

Nick tried to reply as soon as he was referred to but his perception of time felt completely altered. Just as he was going to crack a wise joke to get the hyena's mood up he was interrupted by a random  _ding_  in his front jean pocket—his cell phone.

He whipped his phone out with an irregular jerk of the arm and glanced down at the cracked screen, his eyes readjusting with how bright it was in contrast to the lighting in the dark alleyway. The groggily apathetic look on his face melted when he realized who it was from.

_Carrots_.

He pulled himself up from the gate that supported him and stared at his phone for a long moment before he opened the text notification and read her message to himself.

**(11:48 pm) Judy: Hey Slick. I found out you walked me home Friday night. So I just wanted to say… thanks.**

He blinked mindlessly at the words. Nick felt his shoulders tense once the message finally registered in the currently most reliable part of his brain. Why  _did_  he walk her? He honestly didn't really know himself.

 

Out of pity? Guilt? Or maybe because he just thought it was the noble thing to do?

 

Taking her all the way up to her room was definitely uncalled for, unreasonable even, since they clearly were at odds with one another since the very beginning.

 

One of his ears drooped while the other remained perked as he fathomed all the possible explanations.

 

"I… don't know." Came Nick's quiet murmur, words meant to be thought to himself instead of spoken aloud.

Fang smirked. "I can take a guess," the hyena's eyes were glowing as the sky darkened. "We all know you're a natural with the fuckin' ladies, Wilde. Now more than ever." He flicked the ash off the blunt. "Yer romances don't ever last long though… I wonder why?" He gave Nick a taunting smile, which earned him a few chuckles from the guys and a concealed look of contempt from the fox he addressed.

Regardless of the hyena's tease, the fox was struck with contentment from Judy's simple yet honest text. A text expressing gratitude he never would have expected in a million years from her, one he wondered if he even deserved.

Nick's hesitance behind honestly confessing to her that he had walked her home stemmed from insecurity. Altruism he had mistaken as a predator's vulnerability. He believed that his act as an Alpha predator was, well, a disgrace to predator pride, helping a prey mammal like he had done. If the guys ever found out he'd never see the end of their teasing. Finnick was the only one that knew about it, and Nick trusted him enough to not tell the others. Fin was his closest friend, after all.

The red fox was definitely relieved that Judy had spared him of any sarcasm or skepticism for his helping her. Feeling authentically appreciated actually seemed…  _pretty nice._

Nick replied to the text with focused green eyes, a bit of a dumb smile on his face as he typed slow.

 

**(11:59 pm) Nick: You're welcome. Fluff. :)**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bellwether is totally an angry drunk. Leave it to the sheep to say what Nick can't, and who knows, maaaaybe our fox and bunny's dynamics will start to change?
> 
> The change will be gradual. I'm an utter sap for romance, but let's make this realistic. Let's see how these two adorably stubborn mammals slowly fall head over heels for one another. I honestly am getting a wee impatient myself. Fluff is a guarantee, once we work through the angst. And smut? Hmm. We'll see.
> 
> Tell me what you thought! Comments make stories publish at the speed of light!


	11. The Elephant in the Room

Thursday morning was a testament to the apparently rough and eventful after party.

With Bellwether experiencing the brunt of her first hangover, she didn't have much of a choice other than to skip her classes for the entire day—all six of them. The nauseous lamb also canceled PL meetings for the rest of the week, probably to spare her from the embarrassment of facing Mabel and Ben after her not-so-friendly vocalizations over accidentally soiling an inflatable castle.

"So, uh, Judy…" Dawn's first words that day were anything but graceful. "…let's never talk about that bouncy house…again." The sheep groaned from beneath her blanket. " _Ever_."

Thankfully Judy didn't have an early class to attend to that morning. She rested in, properly made her bed with all her plush bunny toys sitting neatly ahead of her pillow, and got dressed into her casuals without any rush. She was in a decent mood, to boot.

As for the bunny toys on her bed, they served as a little reminder of home; where her old bedroom was once littered with paw-sewn toys that had been passed down by her parents and older siblings—most of which now belonged to the younger Hopps bunch when she outgrew them. But she managed to keep a few of her favorites as childhood memorabilia.

"If you need anything else just let me know, I should be getting out before four today," the bunny kindly implored as she placed a to-go cup of hot coffee, a fruit cup, and a veggie sandwich on the sheep's desk. Although she was usually frugal with it, she didn't mind spending a bit of her meal plan to help Dawn get back on her feet. Especially after getting her help when the roles were switched.

"Thanks, Judy. I really appreciate it."

Then it was Judy's turn to treat herself to a late brunch at the Crane café (a chamomile tea, cranberry muffin, and seasoned homes fries to be precise) before going to her Elementary Statistics course at noon. Although the potatoes weren't the same home-grown pickings she was used to, they were certainly delicious, and she enjoyed scarfing down the first well-seasoned bites as she scrolled through her phone. She had a considerable number of notifications throughout social media: a couple pictures she was tagged in from her random hang outs with new friends, some messages for more invites, even inclusion on private group chats she hardly would've ever imagined being included in.

It was an influx of attention she wasn't exactly used to yet, and was probably more overwhelming to upkeep than enjoyable to the bunny at this point.

_It's kind of… a lot. It's fun, but it almost feels like… it's just as exhausting as being an academia-obsessed workaholic._ But Judy figured she just had to get used to the swing of things; perhaps the newfound popularity just needed time to feel manageable. A bunny could at least hope.

Mid-munch into her last bite of sautéed potatoes and peppers, she eyed the last text message she had sent the previous night.

_Hey Slick. I found out you walked me home Friday night. So I just wanted to say… thanks._

Judy tapped her foot beneath the café table as she read her message to herself. She wasn't sure what confused her more—the fact that he had walked her home without good reason, that she thanked him for doing so despite being at odds with him,  _or_  that he had replied kindly _. A kind text_ —not some snarky remark or ignoring her like she would have otherwise assumed he'd do.

Judy swallowed down the over-chewed mash as she scrolled down the messages with a thumb.

_You're welcome. Fluff. :)_

"There's… definitely some animosity behind that smiley face." Judy whimsically murmured to herself, lifting the tea with a free paw to her lips. "Yup. It's  _totally_  sarcastic. Mhmm."

But she knew better. It was oddly genuine. Which was, for once, a refreshing change when it came to the fox. Albeit, kind of puzzling.

Hot chamomile drifted down her throat and warmed her chest, relaxing her for a moment before she slowly plowed through her muffin, violet eyes still lingering over the brief message-exchange on her phone screen. Why she would spend her entire brunch reading into three words and an emoticon was purely beyond the bunny.

_Geez. Back to reality, Hopps._

So to move on from the subject, she ultimately convinced herself that her interpretations, her questions, her curiosity— they didn't matter in the long run because it was probably pointless to dwell on the mischievous fox. What mattered was that he'd uphold his half of the deal like he had promised, allowing her access to hang outs, parties, and the like.

Once in class (and early as usual) she found herself doodling along the margins of her paper images of ZPD badges until other mammals greeted her and made some conversation before the professor appeared and lecture began. The rabbit felt a distinct rumble coming from the book bag against her leg, a sensation that made her ears instinctively shoot upwards, but she smoothed them back down quickly before they could catch anyone's true attention. Swiftly she leaned under the desk to check her phone.

**(12:42 pm) Yours truly: Frat party tomorrow night at the Alpha Preda house. You should really reconsider going.**

Judy restrained the excitement from the official invite and looked up to assure that the instructor had their back turned. Not being much of an in-class texter was beginning to show, but she played it off well, staying aware of her surroundings as she hid the phone beneath her desk and replied.

**(12:44 pm) J: Address please!**

Just because Wilde had helped her that one time after The Jungle didn't prove with complete certainty that he'd do it again, and for all she knew the frat party could get busted by cops just like The Jungle did. That meant Judy had to keep herself from getting, well, totally trashed to the point of blacking out, if she could help it. And she certainly could.

_My first fraternity party? Holy Mole, this is big! Wonder if I could bring anyone along for the ride?_

So she sent another text.

**(12:45 pm) J: Can I bring someone?**

Double-texting never bothered the bunny. Although she was quite aware of the cultural phenomenon of 'don't double-text unless you want to come across as extremely desperate' she could care less about the societal rules surrounding digital communication at this point in time. Who was she trying to impress with tame texting criteria, anyway?  _Not some dumb fox_.

As class continued she returned her focus to lecture, her phone on her lap as she jotted notes with pencil. Judy glanced at her phone screen once throughout the rest of the class period, seeing the 'read' signature underneath her text, indicating that Nick had seen it but hadn't replied. In anticipation of a text back she accidentally snapped the lead tip of her writing utensil, grumbled low beneath her breath, and ducked beneath the desk again to retrieve her pencil sharpener.

With every turn of the sharpener around the end of her pencil she thought to herself:  _What will I tell Bellwether for being out so late? Maybe that I'll be going out with some friends again? Oh, what should I wear?_

Then mid-sharpening, her phone rang aloud in the midst of lecture, her ring tone "Try Everything" by Gazelle suddenly filling the classroom with optimistic song and directing all eyes to the bunny sitting in the front row, including the professor himself who gave her a displeased look over his shoulder.

Judy immediately scrambled for her phone and declined the call, cringing as she glanced apologetically towards the professor before he turned and continued his mumbled rant. She exhaled quietly, setting her ringer on silent as she scrutinized the source of the call.  _Why would Wilde randomly call me? We only ever text, so what the big deal?_

But the caller ID was titled 'Unknown.'

The rabbit pursed her lips in bemusement and decided to altogether disregard the call, dismissing it as a 'you've got the wrong number' sort of deal. Stuffing the phone into a front jean pocket, Judy minded the new lecture material on the board and caught up on writing it down.

Once class was dismissed and her bag was mounted over the petite frame of her shoulders, she felt a rumble in her pocket on her way out of the building.

**(1:33 pm) Unknown: Hello, Jack Savage here. Is this Judy Hopps?**

 

.o0o.

 

Like he requested, Judy got up bright and early Friday morning, and arrived there at 7 am sharp.

She hadn't actually been to the ZU gymnasium before, not including her presence at Activities Night, so it only made sense for the athletically-able bunny to marvel at how she could even pass up the chance to explore it beforehand.

The bunny, dressed in a sports bra and shorts, brought a casual outfit within her book bag and some grapes, both of which she temporarily stowed away in a navy blue gym locker.

The girl's locker room was a decent, clean space filled with a few other morning workout-addicts, including a buff looking cheetah flexing in the mirror and an elephant performing body stretches across a yoga mat. Wrist bands on, the rabbit stepped out of the locker room into the atrium where the entrance to the building was, a doorway wide and round for all shapes and sizes to enter.

In front of it stood her reflection. Or so it seemed.

"Top of the morning, Hopps!" The striped rabbit ahead of her beamed, paws on his sides as he stood with long ears tall and his casual under armor hoodie, a thin breathable material the color of mauve, and black tights that sculpted the muscles over his thighs and calves. His icy blue eyes brimmed with excitement. "Are you ready for your first lesson?"

Judy approached his side in a skip, giving a nod. "Born ready!"

He smiled at her abundant enthusiasm. "Excellent. Let's get started then, shall we?" He noted her apparel for a moment before leading her towards the gym's main room; a space full of elliptical bikes, weight racks, treadmills, even an enclosed pool.

Even though she found herself admiring her surroundings, Judy hesitated slightly at Jack's advance. "Is there… no one else joining us today?" She just realized it was only them two, when she had thought this would be a group lesson like he mentioned at Activities Night.

Jack paused in his steps before the second smallest set of metal turnstiles. "The other invitees couldn't make it. Some still have classes to drop while others either cancelled or failed to respond to my calls," he admitted without any despondency, a brilliant spark in his eyes and calm smile never leaving his muzzle. "So yes. It's just you and I for today."

The doe contemplated it silently for a moment before following him, flashing her student ID into the sensor and pushing past the turnstile.

"Anyhow, this is the training area," the jackrabbit motioned to a small, lowered padded area surrounded by a circular padded wall, an isolated part of the gym from what she could tell. _It looks like some kind of trampoline._

Jack stepped down onto the padded grounds, giving the floor a test bounce as he maintained eye contact with his new trainee. "This is where I'll be showing you the basics today, and every Friday morning as long as that works with our schedules. The lessons will usually be paws-on exercises, so I suggest that you brace yourself." He waved her down after him with a light grey paw.

Without reluctance Judy willingly joined him, stepping down into the arena with long feet now on the soft yet firm material. It was cold beneath her feet. She gave the floor a test nudge with the end of her heel—soft enough to fall onto at high speeds, for sure. "Hmm. Alright. Seems safe."

"You'd think I'd wrestle you on solid ground? I'm not an  _animal_ ," he lightly teased, stretching out his arms and legs by turning his torso and leaning his body weight towards each extended limb. Judy mimicked him, the stretch loosening some previously unnoticed tension and giving her spine a much-needed crack.

"First and foremost, I want to make you familiar with my teaching style," he began, arms crossed over his broad chest. "I will explain to you the rules of the game and then I'll demonstrate. Please interrupt me with any questions you may have, or I'm afraid I'll ramble on forever." He grinned, inciting a genuine smile in the bunny standing opposite of him. "The goal of a tussle is to send your opponent into submission, usually by physically pinning them down in positions they cannot recover from easily. Now, there are several ways to do that. Come to the center of the ring." Jack motioned her towards him as he walked backwards until they stopped right on the bullseye—the ZU logo.

"We begin in what is called the neutral position," the lighter bunny crouched with shoulders forward, knees bent and paws open in front of him.

Judy copied his stance, facing him as she watched his frosty eyes.

"Good, good. Now, this is only for demonstration purposes, so don't be startled," he warned warmly, warmly enough that Judy didn't mentally prepare herself for what was to come within the next three seconds. The air was knocked out of her lungs as he charged into her, lifted her up from underneath her arms, and thrown Judy onto her side, tackled by the striped rabbit with alarming speed. She struggled slightly as he held her down by the legs, her right shoulder and hip digging into the padded flooring as his chin dug into her other hip.

"Whoa," she breathed out a laugh as she looked down at him, and he released her promptly.

"That," he cleared his throat as he brought himself up to his feet, offering a paw to assist her up. "Is called a takedown."

Judy accepted his paw and was pulled up onto her feet, amazed at the strength and speed the rabbit facing her possessed—and she could only imagine that the takedown she experienced was a more tamed, docile version of the actual move he was really capable of. Adrenaline was coursing through her veins now, now  _very_  aware of his every move.

Judy eyed the excited twitch in his striated ears, his calm and collected poise. Even tuned into the sound of his heightened breathing.

"I'd like to try it now," she said innocently, slowly taking the neutral position again. "On you, of course."

Jack laughed softly. "Well you're awfully—"

Without warning she ambitiously knocked into him, aiming at his legs in a rushed attempt to lift him. However she only managed to hook her arms around one of his legs and they both were sent tumbling backwards onto the mat. Jack, the more experienced rabbit, rolled them over so that Judy was beneath him, and pinned her down by the shoulders.

"Sneaky one, you are," he breathed, his eyes wide as he looked down over his rambunctious student. He was slightly impressed, more so at her daring nature than her current agility. There was a moment of silence, transient as they caught their breaths. "Well this leads us smoothly to the next basic move.  _The pin_."

Judy panted softly, an amused grin on her muzzle as she laid flat against the force of his pin on her shoulders, her ears limp against the mat. She realized that the rush of wrestling was something she definitely could get used to.  _Who knew this could be so fun?_

Jack anticipated this level of receptive energy in her, one that could perhaps rival his own eventually, with months of training. Maybe their internally programmed stamina was due to the nearly bottomless pit of energy bunnies had for, say, less appropriate purposes.

"The pin. Got it." Judy nodded.

The remainder of the lesson was spent simply talking about the nitty gritty details of a wrestling match—the timed and untimed formats, what was allowed and what wasn't, the freedom any participant had to wrestle another mammal of any gender or species as long as their respective coaches agreed,  _yada yada._

"I think I got it all down," she affirmed, sitting with her legs crossed beneath her and paws on her knees. "Any more moves you can show me before we're done for today?" She asked, almost in a pleading tone.

Jack shook his head as he stood from his sitting position, dusting off his calves and forearms. "That's all you get for now, we'll have to work on getting you more experienced on the basics. Getting your form just right. Which won't take long I'd say, with that eagerness you've got."

"Ha, thanks. I think this wrestling thing is right up my alley," she hummed as they walked off of the mat in unison and made their way through the turnstiles and into the atrium.

Once in front of the locker rooms, he extended a paw for a handshake, an awfully formal way to part in Judy's personal opinion. But she took his paw nonetheless, giving it a firm rattle as he politely smiled. "Until next Friday morning, Ms. Hopps," he dismissed himself smoothly with a wave, disappearing into the male's quarters before she stepped into its counterpart to change into her casual clothing.

For the remainder of her day she thought of her first lesson amicably. Who knew she'd actually be excited to join the wrestling team? It made sense, fulfilling some need in her to creatively expel her aggression and simultaneously give her some knowledge that could come in handy as a potential ZPD officer.  _Can't wait for next week._

Even the red fox noticed her giddy behavior that Friday morning during Criminal Justice 101. He saw little point in taunting her in class anymore, with the history of misfortune it often brought him in turn. So he let her be, for the most part.

" _Psssst_." Her tall ears were in the way of the board, anyway.

She turned to acknowledge him, their eyes meeting silently before she understood his gesture and lowered the furry appendages.

Her glare wasn't as potent as he'd imagine it would be.

"Thanks. It's appreciated."

And the glare melted with his whispered thanks, his emerald eyes returning to the board. Her eyes remained on him for just a second longer, noticing the lack of typical mirth in his features before returning her attention to lecture.

"You're welcome."

His eyes darted back down at her as she diligently took notes, his ears perking up from her quiet reply, before minding the board again.

" _So now we will be moving onto new material, since we held a review last class. Chapter nine is a larger than usual chapter, it will take a week to get through it…"_

A temporary truce: a metaphorical wrestle between bad blood and good will. One of those natures were bound to win.

 

.o0o.

 

_Midnight. Walnut. You'll know._

Just three clues in an ambiguous text were all Nick seemed to think were necessary to navigate through Zootopia, the party going on tonight included. From her first two experiences off campus, to The Jungle and his messy apartment, Judy realized he was probably right. She knew the drill.

The clues were helpful because thankfully, no two places in the entire city were alike. So three clues proved to be plenty.

Unless the three clues were about one of the many, many Snarlbucks joints in the city.  _Really though, why were there so many?_  But anyhow, that was beside the point.

To top it off, she couldn't bring anyone else along to the frat party, so the bunny had to figure out how to get there and back on her own. It was a hassle trying to navigate through the bustling inner city streets, even with a GPS feature on her phone, when she was sober.  _Imagine trying to do it drunk out of my mind? Uh, no thanks._

So the bunny had to promise herself that, for her own safety, she would keep her alcohol consumption to a minimum. She did some brushing up on the internet for advice on responsible drinking, and solemnly swore to abide by it.

Judy currently faced the mirror in the communal bathroom of her hall, teasing the fur on either side of her ears and cheeks as she maintained eye contact with herself. "Maximum of five drinks tonight." She murmured sternly to her reflection. "Just five."

She turned to leave, walking through the carpeted hall back towards her dorm room. "Count my drinks. Drink water. Ask for water." Judy decided to forgo an excessively revealing outfit like the one she wore to The Jungle. This time around, she made sure to change into a pair of low-rise skinny jeans and a sleeveless red camisole, both in which she bought on a whim during one of her recent shopping sprees.

Shopping sprees that were uncalled for, last minute, and done more to bask in her new friendships than to avoid the responsibility of studying for her fast-approaching criminal justice exam.  _Was that on Monday? Well I understand the lecture material pretty well, so I think I'm in the clear to save the studying for Sunday._

Judy made sure to tell her wooly roommate that she' be off with some senior friends on another rendezvous with a few senior girls. The sheep responded to the lie with an apathetic hum, too occupied with her criminal justice textbook to give the rabbit her two-cents over her procrastination.

"Alright." The bunny exhaled excitedly to herself as she locked the dorm room door. "Let's  _go!_ "

On her way down the stairs she somehow managed to stuff her phone and lanyard into her skin-tight back pockets. A fraction of her phone still peeked out and the ZU lanyard dangled and swayed beside her tail poof despite her attempts to completely stuff the contents down.  _Geez, what's the deal with these little pockets? It's like they're made for mice._

More easily this time, she navigated from West Campus to East Campus, the sky at its darkest shade of magenta overhead.

Her mind went to Nick's warning:

 

_Reconsider going._

 

"Fat chance," she shook her head with a soft laugh, practically skipping over the cobblestone paths until she made it onto the edge of campus.  _A deal's a deal._

_What's to worry about a silly little frat party, anyway? The Jungle was a cake walk. Not counting the aftermath._

However, it was unknown to the confident rabbit that the city streets would be bustling with so much youthful life so late at night. Mid-street cross, she veered to the side to avoid getting trampled by pedestrian packs of wildebeest. She was so small, navigating through the tall crowds proved a challenge. Somehow she managed getting by without losing her sights on street signs.  _Looks like I'm going the right way._

When she finally arrived on Walnut Street it was ten past midnight, the moon shrouded behind dense fog overhead. The fog wasn't natural though, it seemed to be coming from a building down the street where a distant murmur and buzz of music could be heard. Along the poorly lit sidewalk Judy recognized rows of old two-story brick apartment complexes each separated by fenced alleys adorned with barbed wire.

The street darkened as she made her way down it, an unfortunate fact that made her squint to make out other forms along the sidewalk.

It seemed several others were also walking in the same direction as the curious rabbit. Lioness couples holding paws, a coyote leading a pack of guys in matching athletic uniform, a snickering panther holding two packs of beer in each paw with a concerning stagger in his step.

From the looks of it, all the mammals from this point on were predators.  _Only predators_.

It was a realization that probably discomforted Judy more than she wanted to admit, and she did her best to ignore it.

The small doe strolled slowly past a circle of brown bears passing around a cigar, their eyes glowing eerily in the dark as they watched her make her way around them. She looked over her shoulder back at them only to see that they had yet to take their luminescent sights off of her. Turning forward quickly, she swallowed in apprehension, the blinding stares etched in her retinas. A shudder ran through her body in response, the rabbit almost forgetting how predator mammals' eyes worked in that peculiar way.  _Kind of creepy. Actually, really creepy._

The population of predator bystanders condensed along the sidewalk until the very crowd had led her to its focal point, the esteemed Alpha Preda house she had only heard of through gossip; the very gathering center for the fraternity now booming with instrumental music. Wolves, ferrets, jaguars, and plenty more predator species, gathered together while dripping in the scent of meat and alcohol, a mixture which sent the rabbit's stomach in a tizzy.

Hanging slightly crooked from two adjacent windows was the fraternity flag, a red cape marked with the famed horned symbol, the white Greek alpha letter turned on its side. Some preds sat on the flat roof of the building, their legs dangling off the side as they watched the horde of invitees swarm below.

Smoke poured out from the building's opened windows and front, a mixture of artificial fog and pungent steam from body heat and sweat, creating a symbolic smoke signal in the sky for all in Zootopia to know…

… _that the Alphas were partying wild._

Judy squeezed through the groups of jocks and giggling sorority girls sipping cheap cans of beer, all of which glaring or flashing their sharp teeth in terrifying smiles towards the only apparent prey invitee as she snuck up the stoop of the apartment building.

Preds sat on the concrete balusters on either side of the steps, some amusingly admiring the bold rabbit timidly excusing herself through the crowd. Others were not as keen, shooting distasteful looks at the prey mammal seemingly intruding the party.

Judy avoided making direct eye contact if she could help it, her bare shoulders tensed and high standing ears on alert. Full primal instincts were taking a front seat in her mind.

Her logical and survival-based inner voice told her to leave this place in a mad dash like her very life depended on it.

The entire situation practically made her mind scream ' _danger!_ ' But stubbornly, Judy Hopps was not about to let her outdated primitive intuitions and ingrained prejudice govern her night. She had made a rather clever deal with a tricky fox and thus deserved access to the exclusive party.

_I earned this._

So the bunny decided she wouldn't pass this opportunity up, even if she had to stare death in the eyes.

_C'mon, they're not gonna hurt you._

_Be positive. This'll be fun._

Once she made it past the front door, which she noted was broken down and ornamented with wood that looked more like a scratch post than a door frame, she questioned her previous determination to tough it out.

Inside was completely dark, save for a slow pulse of light that made the inhabitants look like they had been moving in an erratically jerk-like slow motion. A colorful strobe light's work.

Judy didn't budge as she stood practically paralyzed, watching the preds mosh recklessly to electronic dance tracks in flashes of red, then green, then yellow light; pushing and swinging each other around aggressively in a fit of wild laughs and growls. The bunny flinched as she watched two cougars engage in a brawl within the mosh pit, a brawl so belligerent they rammed against a wall to her left with their lips curled, exposing glinting incisors and snapping their jaws until one of the two eventually yielded.

In reaction to the frightening brawl, Judy backed slowly in the opposite direction.

_Sweet cheese and—_

In the corner directly right of the entrance she spot a gang of cheetahs, tigers, lions, and caracals each huddled, caressing and rubbing against one another in a dazed stupor.

A female caracal slowly grinded against the lap of a squatted lion, her claws combing through his thick mane while he tugged and stroked the short length of her tail. The very same lion was lip-locked with a crouched tiger, the two males fighting for dominance in their slovenly kiss, a sight that made Judy nervously drop her ears.

There was something smoking at the core of the sensual commotion—a small urn densely packed with slow-burning herbs. The effects of smoking catnip was evidently taking its toll, practically creating an orgy right in front of her eyes.

The large cats were greedily taking turns sniffing the urn on all fours, taking deep inhalations and then exhaling the excesses of smoke into each other's mouths, an exchange that made the bunny subconsciously cover her own mouth with her paws. Large tongues lapped aimlessly between the high felines, paws roaming over one another's bodies in drug-induced explorations. All of them were marking or dry-humping each other like they had complete disregard for their populated surroundings. It was as if they had lost their grip on reality altogether.

In full retreat mode, Judy turned on her heels to dart out of the exit, but faced something blocking her way out.

 

A familiar face grinned down at the fearful rabbit who made a startled jump at nearly colliding with him.

 

" _Ayyye_ ," slurred a shorter than average predator donning an Alpha Preda sweater.

 

A tipsy hyena to be exact, completely shirtless and wearing his alpha jacket tied by the sleeves around his neck like a cape, his eyes glowing yellow between flashes of the strobe light behind her.

He held nearly empty bottles of liquor in each paw, two tall polar bears standing side by side behind the fraternity leader. Fang closed his eyes and lifted one of the bottles he held, pouring the golden whiskey into his maw before wiping his damp muzzle with the fur of his wrist. Then he forcibly chucked the glass over her head, across the room where it violently shattered against the wall with a jolting crash.

Judy ducked and flinched at the sound before peering up at the intoxicated head Alpha, his array of misaligned teeth sparkling in colors behind wet, black lips.

"No one told me about our...  _special guest_."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Looks like our little bun-bun has some, ahem, Wilde times ahead.


	12. The Party Snack

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: This chapter contains violence, physical assault, dark sexual themes, crime, and unconventional behaviors. I am in no way condoning or promoting these actions. This is just a warning for those sensitive to those subjects. Please be responsible and enjoy the read!

Unrestrained, genuine terror.

It was spelled all over the poor bunny's face, it made the hyena almost pity her.  _Almost_.

Fang was more entertained than sorry for the small rabbit that witnessed the usual havoc that ensued at his parties. But he was also more annoyed than entertained that she, the tiny long-eared nuisance that spoke back to him at The Jungle's backyard, had the nerve to show up at his spot uninvited.

Teetering back and forth on his feet, he scrutinized her from head to toe before waving her towards him, his brown and black-tipped tail swaying erratically behind him. "C'mere rabbit!  _Let's talk_."

Judy stood paralyzed as she watched him confidently walk into the crowd of moshers, fully expecting the smaller-than-average predator to get rammed down and trampled by the larger preds rough-housing each other for sport. But she was mistaken— Fang harshly pushed some of the jumpers aside with a grunt to allow her in, knocking some of the dancers into one another and creating a temporary open space for her to tread further into the house. He stood in the open space and looked back at her expectantly. "You comin' or what?"

She hesitated before deciding to follow him, her eyes darting left and right at as she gauged the safety of the scene. Not like she could escape the place with his white-furred partners still guarding the exit, an observation she made by looking behind her bare shoulder and seeing the larger polar bear standing at his post in front of the broken door. So with grey ears low and feet quick, she tried to advance cautiously, slowing when the room went pitch black and speeding up when the strobe light pulsed in her favor.

There was a flash of yellow that lasted for two seconds, then darkness for three. So she counted the seconds, exhaling nervously as she stepped further into the crowd.  _Orange for two, go. Dark for three, slow down. I got this. Repeat._

It was a miracle that she managed to travel through the quickly closing open space uninjured, although she dodged and flinched at the sound of nearby movement. During a flash of red light the belligerent hyena visibly led Judy near a flight of stairs and raised his arm, a paw hovering over the bright strobe light sitting on a high staircase step to cast a shadow over the walls and ultimately catch the partiers' attentions.

" _Shots! Get me shots!_ " He roared, and only mere seconds after did two skimpily dressed tigresses approach with trays holding small malleable cups and red contents— cups of jell-o, the rabbit judged from the smell. But that originally nostalgic smell of sweet gelatin was tainted with a strong scent of vodka, and  _loads_  of it, lightly burning her nostrils from where she stood.

"Whaddaya think yer doin' here tonight, eh? Wannabe cop-bunny?" He took a jell-o shot into a paw as he regarded the bunny in a rasped voice, dark eyes glowing between pulses of light as they met Judy's gaze. The short predator looped his arm around one of the tigresses' hips, pulling her fast against his side as she giggled. "Did'ya think I wouldn't catch your ass crashing my party? If so, you thought  _dead wrong_." He narrowed his sights down at his supposed intruder.

"I…" She hesitated under his glare before she found some resolve and stood tall, defying his expression with a nonchalant mask of her own despite his taunting mention of her dream job. "Actually, I was invited." The brave bunny spoke clear, her tail twitching behind her in hidden unease. The second tigress lowered herself to bring the tray of shots within reach of the rabbit, and she willingly accepted two small cups in each paw, keeping eye contact with the peeved head Alpha.

"Lemme guess." The hyena began before he downed the shot in his paw eagerly, licking the gooey remnants from his teeth while the tigress in his arm bent down and licked the jelly from the edge of his maw. "You hustled that sonuvabitch Wilde…  _again?_ "

Judy couldn't take her eyes away from the disturbing exchange between the predators, and once she did, she managed to recall the shots in her possession. "Basically, yes, he invited me as part of a deal. So I have a right to be here." The rabbit sniffed the shots curiously before slurping one, the red gelatinous mixture of potent alcohol and sugar filling her mouth.  _Sooo sweet._  It made her ears spring up in delight, its taste betraying the potent scent of vodka it gave off.

She almost choked on the shot, however, when a bear pushed past the crowd after a pick-pocketing puma, finally catching him by the shoulders and giving him a good shake. A series of stolen items began littering the floor including wallets, watches, even a necklace, causing the brown bear to drop the scoundrel and scoop up his belongings. The feline tried to stand again, clearly intoxicated as he struggled to cleanly make it onto his hind legs, only to be abruptly greeted by a brown fist across his muzzle which knocked him out cold.

The transient violence caused bystanders to snicker and cheer. Judy, on the other paw, firmly held her second shot in complete discomfort, not quite used to being surrounded by such brutal behavior.

Fang's amusement was cut short when he recalled his unwanted invitee. "I don't care what deal you struck with Wilde. This is  _my_  frat. So I say bunnies ain't allowed in here." He snapped, giving her an unsympathetic look once she returned her sights to him. "So scram. Or I'll kick you  _and_  that damn fox out. By force." The hyena chucked his empty cup at the thief sprawled on the floor before someone scooped the unconscious mammal up and escorted him out of the building.

Judy withheld a scowl, looking boldly up at the head Alpha and speaking without so much of a stutter. "Like I said, I have a right to be here. So I'm staying."

The stern tone in her voice made his eye twitch and his free paw clench. " _What'd you just fuckin'—_ "

"Holy crap, wait a sec, isn't that the Hornstein rabbit? From that Furbook live video everyone's yappin' about? Haha, O-M-G, it is!" The tigress in his hold squealed drunkenly after her delayed realization. "Fang, babe, you can't kick her out! She's more badass than half the whole frat!"

He loosened his balled fist before forcing a smile upwards at the tall feline. "Oh c'mon. She's not gonna last in here, it's not like she can hang," he tried to reason. "She'll be  _dead weight_."

"Neither can the new recruits," the tigress countered, giving the dark scruff on Fang's head a playful tussle. "I bet the gutsy bunny can hold her own. Plus she'll make things more… interesting around here." She gave Judy a wink before leaning forward to whisper into the aggravated hyena's ear. Whatever she whispered managed to make the hyena concede given by the expression on his face.

"Ugh… alright, alright. Fuck it, whatever. You can stay." At his words, Judy beamed victoriously while the hyena looked at her with gritted teeth. "But you'll end up like that dumbass-thieving-puma over there, for sure. Or  _worse_." Fang laughed dryly before giving the bunny a patronizing pat on the head.

Judy grouched in offense to the condescending gesture but decided to ignore it as the hyena merged in with the crowd, tigress against him in tow and disappearing into the mass of dancing predators.

She couldn't ignore his last words, however, which lingered in her head and made her honestly doubt her ability to make it out of the Alpha house in one piece. Perhaps her insistence to stay was beyond reason. Maybe she was better off calling it a night and heading back to campus.

But her curiosity to experience the rebellious party and desire to tough it out had gotten the best of her.

It was almost nonsensical, willingly being the only prey mammal in such predator-rich territory. Naturally, the obvious dangers of the place would make any sane rabbit scurry off without looking back, but Judy Hopps wasn't a typical bunny in the slightest. Being the brave mammal that she was, to her danger wasn't an obstacle, it was a magnet. The daring girl that aspired to be in the ZPD thought she could handle whatever her time at Zootopia University could throw at her in an attempt to try everything she never had tried before; and now, that included the once-in-a-lifetime experience at the exclusive Alpha Preda frat party.  _This is what I bargained for. I made it this far, right? I can do this._   _I can't get cold feet now._

A small prideful smile graced her muzzle as her previously fearful perspective shifted into optimism.

 _Even the head Alpha couldn't kick me out. The only mammal that can stand in my way is me. Who says prey can't party like predators, anyway?_ After an encouraging mental pep talk, she downed the second shot in her paw faster than the first, shivering when it slid down her throat and warmed her chest.

_Hm, this stuff's actually pretty good! Beats that green punch from the last party. Haha yeah, let's just keep looking on the bright side!_

 

.o0o.

 

Nick was relaxing in the alcove, the very last room of the first floor where the other  _more chill_  and less outwardly violent predators gathered to sit, smoke, and make out to their heart's content on a king-sized impenetrable water bed.

The latter would have very well been Nick's activity of choice if it weren't for swearing off romance in general. But there was definitely some temptation to break his motive since a few girls tried to sweet talk their way into his arms or onto his lap, attempts that made the fox awkwardly decline each time. One of the drink-serving tigresses even swished her long tail suggestively across the back of his neck which elicited a transient shiver from him, but the server walked around teasing all the guys similarly until she eventually got swept up by Delgato himself.

"Here," Finnick who sat beside him spoke to get his attention, his voice an octave lower than usual as smoke drifted from his mouth.

Nick turned to him and accepted his flat mate's offer: a coral blue glass pipe, its bowl half-charred and containing an ember.

Swiftly he took a few puffs of it and held it in, passing the pipe on to the cougar beside him. "Why don't we split and order a pizza?" he asked amusingly, also an octave lower until he blew the smoke upwards.

"Oh yeah great idea wise guy, let's just split." Fin murmured in that sarcastic tone that made the red fox smirk from ear to ear. "Wait a sec, no we can't. Because this party is mandatory for the Alphas, ya dipshit," Fin replied curtly with a rumbling chuckle.

Nick chuckled as well, ultimately agreeing with the fennec fox since it was more of a joke than a serious suggestion. He was well aware of the condition that all the Alphas had to abide by, but this time around his heart just wasn't in it. He usually looked forward to the bi-annual shindig, this one in particular, because he was under the assumption that he'd possess his very own key to the house by now. Although getting that key wasn't exactly on his bucket list anymore, being at the party tonight was a disconcerting reminder of the house he once desired to live in.

His chuckle would have persisted for several more seconds if it were not for the painfully familiar scent that graced his nose—a scent that made him realize just  _who_  had entered the party, someone he wanted to avoid.

Nick shot up to his feet.

"Hey, you goin' somewhere man?" Fin asked in his baritone voice, now laying back against the waterbed that wiggled and waved beneath him. The motions suddenly became rapid, almost sending the small fox off the edge due to a suddenly heated exchange between the previous tigress and lion frat member now straddled and making out hungrily.

The red fox fidgeted with his jacket collar, making it stand on end around his neck. "Yeah, just gonna grab a drink. Uh, you want anything?" Nick weakly assured his friend, who shook his head in response to his offer, before he made a speedy exit from the dimly lit alcove. Nick parted the beaded curtain that hid the alcove from the rest of the house and ducked through it, now entering the kitchen. His eyes widened at the size of the crowd there—the party had substantially grown since he last left the alcove for a drink.

_Where was that scent coming from? Which room?_

The air was too muggy and musk-dense for the fox to tell.

Until he didn't need to rely on his nose anymore. His ears would do the job just fine.

"How's that nonexistent penis holding up?" Came the voice he absolutely dreaded hearing, but he didn't flinch when he turned to meet Mav's glazed eyes.

The lynx was dressed in an impossibly tight purple dress, a dress he recognized from a long-ago flattery dinner he set up for her months ago. Around her waist was the arm of another predator, a smirking skunk from the football team to be precise.

It took him several seconds, being as crossfaded as he was, to acknowledge her with his own forced smirk. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

Mav's obnoxious smile dropped before she grunted and, after a few seconds of seething, tried to chuck her unopened can of beer at him. The can partially knocked the wind out of his lungs as it collided into his chest. The debacle was sure to attract some on-lookers, many in which were still laughing amongst themselves from Mav's loud wisecrack.

Before the can could fall to the floor, the fox caught it and snapped it open, allowing the drink to fizz over his paw.

"Oh, you're too kind. Don't mind if I do." He took a swig of it much to the lynx's displeasure, and watched as the couple left the room in a huff. The smaller black and white predator made sure to flip Nick the finger as they went.

The sight made Nick roll his eyes.  _Real classy buddy._

 

.o0o.

 

_Alright. Two drinks so far, so don't lose count._

Judy squeezed through to explore the frat house, a house that she noted was littered with cans and predators practically gone half-savage. While some pushed and shoved in the rave, some calmly sparked cigarettes and puffed them with their backs against the walls. Others chatted in obnoxiously loud cliques such as the sorority girls clad in impossibly short shorts and cropped tops, many in which revealed captivating striped thighs and prominent cleavages, flaunting their own respective sorority logos as well as their fine physiques.

Staring at them made the rabbit blush and look down at her own attire questionably. For just a moment, Judy became just a little insecure. Her chest was on the petite side of the spectrum, and although wide hips surely made up for it, she was without a doubt the smallest and most clothed girl at the party.

Naturally being an optimist, Judy never liked to compare herself to others but tonight she was exposed to more body fur than she ever had before.

It made the skin beneath her face fur heat up, watching one of the many sorority girls accept an offer to dance with an Alpha pred. The two wolves intertwined easily, the female pressing her impressive chest scruff against the male wearing the burgundy jacket, his paws taking grip of her rear end as they passionately oscillated.

"Buck Life?" A lioness offered, also dressed skimpily in a white bandeau and mini skirt, leaning down so that the tray of alcoholic goods was within Judy's reach. It also made her large breasts hang from their tiny fabric cage right over wide violet eyes.

The flushed bunny swiftly took a can of Buck Life beer and squeezed through the crowd. Evading the vicinity filled with provocative dancers and near-nudity, she found purchase against the far wall of the staircase beside a coughing group of smoking preds. Each were standing single file along the wall, wearing peculiar red bandanas around their necks.

Once the bunny cracked the can open, she brought it to her lips but didn't drink, beer foam catching on her lips as she watched her surroundings.  _Things look less hectic over here. I'll just stand back and take this drink slow._

A mole wearing one of the maroon bandanas around his neck looked down to the small rabbit beside him, admiring her silently before clearing his throat. "Hey, wait a sec. Aren't you  _prey?_ "

Judy peered over to him with a cocked ear, licking the cold foam clean from her lips. "Yep. You would be correct," she spoke somewhat dryly, sensing some unspoken hostility from him.

The hefty mole furrowed his brows. "I think yer at the wrong party, toots."

Judy was ready to harshly reply before she was interrupted by a series of loud hollers.

" _Drink! Drink! Drink!_ " Came chants directly right of them, at the start of the single file line along the wall. The first predator on the line, a portly weasel wearing a bandana and a lit cigarette over one of his ears, stood underneath a familiar contraption—a drinking funnel. He held in his paw a long neon pink tube connected to the funnel, closing his eyes as he ferociously drank the substance being poured into it.

Once the pitcher ran dry, the surrounding audience cheered, and the suddenly tipsy weasel wobbled until he knocked into the honey badger beside him.

" _Yo man! Watch it!"_

Judy sipped her beer anxiously as she watched two sorority cheetahs dressed in tight outfits continue down the line of reclining mammals wearing bandanas. A lion, a bear, and then a raccoon. With every victim of the drinking funnel, one of the cheetahs dipped the emptied pitcher into a bowl filled it with an unknown concoction of unsightly booze. Each mammal completed the task after struggling to slurp the alcohol medley, resulting in an eruption of approving hollers from those watching.

 

" _I'm a step closer to bein' an Alpha! Fuck yeah!"_

" _Ha! Only if you survive the night!"_

 

Then the mole that had berated Judy was up next, the small predator trembling as he took up the funnel tubing and chugged on command. Within a few seconds of drinking, he stumbled onto the floor, the remaining contents in the funnel splashing down over the limp and overly intoxicated predator. The unfortunate result caused a riot of laughs; one of the cheetahs untied the deep red bandana from his neck with a mischievous smirk.

"There goes another recruit. Try again next year!" The cheetah with the pitcher in paw snickered.

"Next, the  _almighty Judy Hopps!_ " Cheered the cheetah holding the funnel, the pair of felines giggling as they moved to stand over her. The very call of her well-known title attracted several more previously uninvolved predators to watch the fiasco, much to the young bunny's dismay.

"Hah, I can't, really," she breathed a shy laugh, lifting her can of beer as a testament to her decline.

" _C'mon!_  We know you've got it in you!" One of them chirped, wagging the funnel's appendage over her muzzle a bit tauntingly. "Unless you're not all that almighty like you're cracked up to be…?"

The rabbit sighed in annoyance at the taunt.

" _Drink! Drink! Drink!"_

Judy Hopps was not one to bend to peer pressure. At the last second she decided she wanted to give it a try, to prove a point more to herself than to anyone else: that she could survive in this mad house.

_Well it wouldn't hurt. I can do it._

Taking the flexible tubing, she brought the transparently fluorescent cylinder to her lips and shut her eyes. In a matter of seconds she was greeted by a sudden avalanche of burning fluids, a flood she combatted with an eager suction.

Voices rooted her on, making her pull through until she finished the large volume in a matter of seconds. It seemed her ability to drink and breathe made her the fastest out of the line of recruits to finish the practically poisonous infusion of alcohol. She beat the previous predators that faced the challenge, downing what she presumed was mostly beer laced with flavored rums.

As soon as the torrent of alcohol was over she slightly wheezed, exhaling a hoarse giggle. Someone gave her a good shake by the shoulders, another patting her back somewhat roughly in celebration. Judy opened her eyes with a dumb smile, stumbling slightly until she caught one of the staircase pickets to regain her balance.

"How… many shots was that?" She managed to ask before the funnel-toting cheetahs made off.

"Half a bottle, at least," one of them cracked a smirk before sauntering off, leaving the bunny wide-eyed.

_Um._

_Okay! No problem, I just gotta hydrate. And fast._

It was true that she was beyond her drinking limit for tonight. Anymore down the hatch and she was sure to meet the same fate like she had at The Jungle. She set the unfinished beer can down on a stair step and tried to search out another sorority girl passing out drinks for the possibility that they'd be serving water as well. Or at least know where to find it.

But she was interrupted in her hasty search by a red-bandana wearing predator, one that previously completed the funnel challenge with flying colors and watched her complete it as well.

"Hey, Hornstein bunny! Man, you kicked ass back there." The spotted leopard said warmly, beer can in one paw and a cigarette in the other as he greeted her with a charming pointy smile. The fact that mammals still recognized her made her flattered, his words distracting her from her mission for water.

"You could say that," she bashfully shrugged, her words beginning to muddle in that alarmingly familiar way.

"Yeah. You're really  _something_. Y'know that?" The lanky feline murmured with a wave of his paws for emphasis, chuckling so hard he spilled some of his beer on himself without realizing. It made the lit cigarette in his other paw dampen and he swore, flicking it aside and digging into his pants pocket for a new one. "Really, I mean it. I bet ZU hasn't seen a freshman bunny like you in a while. Or ever." He quickly lit and took a deep drag of the cig. "Name's Tim, by the way. Imma freshman too. Tryin' out for the preds."

"Nice to meet ya, Tim. I know I go by 'the Hornstein bunny' on campus but the name's Judy. And thanks for the compliments, really, you're way too kind. By the way, I've got a little brother named Tim." Judy smiled politely in return. "By the way… I'm curious. What've you heard about me?"

He flicked the ash off of his cigarette and finished off his beer, crushing it with a paw. "Just that… you're some kinda force to be reckoned with. Brave, a real spit-fire, and even a hustler." The leopard's metallic eyes perused over her suddenly like she was a dinner steak, the sudden change from his friendly demeanor mostly going unnoticed by the bunny. "But I never heard 'bout how  _friggin' good_  you smell," he slurred the observation low, as if he was speaking to himself, and licked his lips. "So uh, you taken?"

The freshman rabbit blinked as his question caused the smoke in his breath to fan over her face. "Wow. They really say all that about me?" She made a geeky smile before acknowledging the rest of his odd compliment, his hungry look making her nervously laugh. "Ah, no…I'm… I'm single."

The leopard grinned, stuffing his half-smoked cigarette into the crushed can before tossing it on the floor somewhere. "Peeerfect," he purred the word. "I'm single, you're single. So you wanna dance?"

"Oh, I don't dance," Judy almost laughed at the idea. She was considerably smaller than him, the tips of her ears reaching half his height when standing tall. If they danced, it would be more awkward than she can bear, not to mention what 'dancing' at these parties suggestively entailed.

The leopard offered a paw, bending his knees slightly. "Aw.  _C'mon_. It'd be… an honor, almighty Hornstein bunny."

She stared at his paw with consideration, biting the inside of her cheek.

 _A dance wouldn't hurt, right?_  So the tipsy bunny stepped towards the spotted feline, who hastily took that motion as a definite 'yes' and grabbed her against him almost ravenously.

She slightly regretted her action then, trying to pull back from the purring leopard, but he already began his ministrations, hunched over to nip along her bare shoulder. That funnel mixture inside her stomach was already beginning to take its toll, making the room swirl in a haze of musk and sweat just as intoxicating as the alcohol she downed. Sharp teeth grazed her neck, too painful as they went, making her wince.

_He seemed nice so—maybe a little convincing would get me out of this?_

_That, or self-defense if necessary._

"I'm a terrible dancer, r-really…" She managed to mumble against the side of his head as it explored the junction between her chin and collarbone. "T-Tim?  _Tim_." But he continued, purposefully ignoring her.  _Just my luck,_  she thought to herself exasperatedly.  _Self-defense it is._

He sharply inhaled her fur again and again, taking in her scent like it was some kind of prized aroma. Not groping her, not grinding against her. Just sniffing and aggressively minding her neck, keeping her still.

 

Then Judy realized that he wasn't acting out of typical perversion.

 

He was acting like she was something beyond just a sexual conquest— he was acting like she was  _a snack_. Her scent as a rabbit alone was a primal flag of tabooed delicacy to the inebriated predators all around her, and it seemed to begin attract its first disturbingly interested party.

Tim licked the site his teeth grazed and moaned pleasantly.

"Ch-cheese and cra- _ah_ -ckers… _what're you_ …?"

Drunkenly she tried to push Tim's shoulders to squirm away, but he held the back of her head and waist with firm paws, like a snake restraining its prey, resisting any of her attempts to slither free.

Before he could continue his bizarre assailment, he suddenly stumbled back, much to the tipsy rabbit's relief once she broke free.  _Holy shit, what even was that?_

In front of her stood the leopard hunched over with his hackles raised, growling at what she assumed was another predator trying to fight over the bunny. Just who had threatened the leopard for his delicious catch, she couldn't exactly see. She tried to watch them through the darkness, tripping nervously backwards as the two predators circled one another in a hazy blur.

 

She spotted a glimpse of maroon under the pulse of the strobe light, along with the sounds of snapping teeth and low pitched yips.

 

Tim was facing off with an Alpha predator.

 

The beat of the electronic music quickened in tempo, almost matching the racing heart in the bunny's heaving chest.

Growling permeated the air as the tense circling continued, the strobe light contradicting the fast tempo of music as it slowed in its blinking, making the face-off much harder for the rabbit to witness.

Within the next two flickers of light, the freshman leopard pounced on his opponent with claws bared. There was a struggle. Grunts turned to snarls, teeth clicked and the sound of tearing fabric was heard by the bunny back against the wall. Another flicker of colorful light later, the leopard was knocked onto the floor. On all fours Tim backed away with a whimper and submissively scampered off into the crowd to evade his competitor.

Then as the music crawled to a crescendo, the beat finally dropped, causing the house to tremble with jumping partiers.

 

Judy swallowed anxiously as the unseen victor turned to face her after the light disappeared again, narrowed eyes glowing white towards her in the sudden darkness.

 

_That's it._

 

Judy swallowed thickly.

 

_This is how I go. I'm going to be eaten alive at a college frat party._

 

When the light returned, her heart skipped at the sight of vicious emerald eyes greeting her.

 

" _Carrots_."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh damn, here we go. But is she in the clear?
> 
> Thanks for the positive support, reviews, and comments. They are honestly what keep me going! :D


	13. Biting the Bullet

"N-Nick…" she spoke in a warble, ears low and pupils wide.

 

All apprehension fell when the red fox approached her, the rabbit exhaling in relief despite his disheveled appearance: red neck hairs frizzed, lips curled over bared teeth, back rounded and claws at the ready. The sight of the protective fox made a sensation travel through the length of Judy's spine for reasons other than fear.

The fox straightened himself and relaxed his defenses. "Almost became some lowlife's dinner there," he murmured low, standing before her as he smoothed down the hackles and relaxed his lips. The vicious glint in his green eyes lessened as his sight was filled with small quivering bunny.

Fortunately there wasn't a single tear in his Alpha jacket which meant his clothes weren't the ones that were clawed at. On the contrary, Nick held a tethered piece of burgundy handkerchief in his left paw, a handkerchief that was once neatly tied around the neck of the freshman bunny's assailant only several moments prior. His beige slacks were also noticeably soiled, most likely the result of tumbling with the same predator with a dangerous hankering for tipsy rabbit.

If her observations were correct and she wasn't hallucinating as a result of alcohol and endorphins at this point, he wasn't wearing a shirt underneath the jacket. The creamy fur of his chest was exposed down to the junction of silver zipper located on his lower abdomen.

 

His unkempt yet strangely captivating appearance caused a delay in her response.

 

"You didn't have to intervene. I could've handled it," she slurred rather confidently, crossing her arms as she took a defiant stance.

Nick rolled his eyes. "And how exactly would you have handled that?"

She interjected with a sarcastic huff through her teeth, creating a whirring-sound between her lips. "I would've kicked him. Maybe use my fists somehow... either way, I'm perfectly capable on my own."

"Uh-huh," Nick would have chuckled if it weren't for something that had previously gone unnoticed suddenly catching his eye. He stepped closer and she surprisingly didn't back away from him; instead she curiously watched as he inspected her closely with furrowed brows. "So… were you gonna knee the bastard before or after you received that  _raw hickie_  you've got on your neck there?"

"W-what?" Judy gasped, one of her paws flying to meet the fur above her shoulder. In a panic, she ran that paw over frizzed grey fur until she felt a small patch of fur missing, a bit of raw skin in its place that was quite tender to the touch. A single brush over the area with her fingers was enough to discover fine divots where sharp feline teeth prodded, having produced cuts deep enough to break the skin yet keep the blood from running without some assisted suction.

Raw hickies were a frowned-upon action in the modern world, surviving in the form of carnivorous kinks that lingered within the underbelly of society along with other equally questionable practices. Just the thought of having received the unwanted mark from a weird stranger at college party made the rabbit shudder.

How she didn't yelp in pain at receiving one, she hadn't a clue. Maybe the numbing abilities of alcohol had something to do with it?

"You didn't tell me this party was gonna b'filled with  _carnivores_!" She squeaked the accusation drunkenly at him as her ears shot up, a display of undeniably adorable frustration that only made the fox crack a smile.

"C'mon Carrots. You're gonna pin this on me?" He referred to himself with both paws finding his bared chest. "It's a party at a  _predator-pride_  house. What'd you honestly expect?"

"I… ugh well, I dunno…" Judy shook her head. "Something actually safe to attend? An easy-going atmosphere? Not being eaten?"

"Well, you signed yourself up for this. I warned you not to come didn't I?" His nostrils flared for a moment when he caught a good whiff of her wound.  _At this rate, every kooked-up pred in the damn house is gonna prowl._ "So with that said… you should probably get going." His tone was a bit cold but was slightly spared by the concern underlying it. He turned slightly, hoping she would heed his suggestion.

 

At the sight of his likely departure she stepped forward and held out a paw. "W-wait!"

 

He paused, his ears perking in her direction.

 

"I'm not leaving." Judy boldly stated, her ears rising the way they did when she stood her ground in an act of bravery. But to him her bravery was nothing less than stubbornness—especially in a situation like this, a situation that clearly put her in danger for a lame cost. "Just because… just because I'm  _prey_  doesn't mean I can't party like a predator."

He turned to face her again, the color of his fur enhancing when the strobe gleamed red. "Well, can't argue that one. And I can't force you to leave. So you wanna stay? Fine. Party your heart out. Go nuts."  _She's definitely different than any prey I've ever met. In both refreshing and aggravating ways._

Judy smiled in her trivial moment of triumph.

That was, before a tipsy wolf hovered over her from behind, bandana around his neck as he sniffed the back of her neck. At the sensation of his wet nose she yelped and hopped forward towards the fox, mindlessly clinging onto the hem of his jacket, slightly wobbling from the speed of the motion.

The wolf eyed her hungrily until he glanced upwards to catch the unforgiving glare of a protective fox.

The two predators exchanged menacing looks, emerald eyes narrowing as the fox hooked an arm around the bunny burrowing her face in his fur. Scoffing, the looming wolf surrendered without so much of a flash of his teeth, disappearing into the crowd.

"If you don't want to be a target," Nick began to murmur patronizingly down at the bunny, his breath husky and thick with the scent of alcohol. "Then you shouldn't be standing in the  _warzone_."

"The… warzone?" She arched a brow skeptically up at him before a mild heat swarmed her inner ears at the realization that she was attached to him. She cleared her throat and scrambled backwards, his arm around her small frame releasing its hold.

"Yeah, the warzone," he breathed a laugh. "Where newbies get hammered with drinks and the succeeding survivors try to hook up with girls. Trust me, been there, done that." He shook his head. "Other creepy stuff tends to go down here too. So I advise that you move. Or that wolf won't be the last."

"Alright then." Judy nodded slowly as her eyes roamed the area, one of her ears draped over the bite on her neck. "So where in here am I safe? Y'know this place better than I do."

Nick considered her question for a moment before scratching the scruff on his neck. "Uh. Well let's see…"

In sincere honesty, Nick knew she wasn't realistically safe anywhere in the house, whether she stood in the warzone or not. The predators at this party were absolutely wasted, the majority of them large and powerful enough to pose a realistic threat any small predators, Nick included—not to mention a teensy, tipsy rabbit.

With all the catnip and weed swirling in the secluded space, all the alcohol being consumed at concerning rates, and other substances likely present in the house, it could be assumed that these partiers would get even wilder as the night progressed.

 

Ergo, making the house uninhabitable to any of those that couldn't defend themselves.

 

The fox pursed his lips.  _She won't leave, she can't stay._   _Guess that leaves one option._

 

Judy patiently waited for a suggestion, violet eyes glazed and watchful of all movement swarming around them.

 

Nick drunkenly sighed. "In here you're only really safe… with me."

 

As he said the unlikely combination of words he watched her intently, fully anticipating her to disagree or laugh mockingly at the ridiculous suggestion. Not like she absolutely  _had_  to take his survival advice. But it would certainly be in her best interests, in his opinion.

Yet her expression was hardly offended; her eyes widened a tad and her lips parted, but she said nothing at first.

After a moment of silent deliberation she finally conceded. "Yeah. I should've figured that much."

Not that she necessarily wanted to spend the rest of her night with the fox she frequently quarreled with, but she knew she'd rather bicker than be eaten alive. And when it came to her safety, the fox had proven he had her best interests at heart.

"Oh. Well uh, okay." Nick was a little staggered that she agreed with his suggestion so easily. It was nice for a change, knowing a prey mammal had the ability to instill their trust in him without much difficulty. It didn't guarantee her full trust in him however, he was sure, but it was definitely a start.

"Let's move." The red fox slowly began to lead her towards the entrance into another room down the hallway, and the bunny hardly hesitated before pursuing him, her paw moving along the wall for support. Judy watched how he cleared the way and lingered at times for her to catch up, actions she silently appreciated as she kept her eyes on him though the bustling crowd.

"Hey, Nick?" Her voice penetrated the receding boom of electronic music.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for, y'know. Saving my fur back there and all." The bunny humbly mumbled as she kept with his steady pace. "This's like the second time, too. I guess… hah, I don't know what to say."

He paused in his stride for just a moment, looking over his shoulder at her with a hint of a smirk on his muzzle. "You could say, ' _Gosh Nick, you were right about the whole reconsider going thing! How're you so wise and all-knowing?_ ' Something along those lines."

The bunny sputtered a sarcastic laugh at his words and smiled amusingly at the impersonation of her voice. "Not a chance."

They broke out of the crowd into a more open space inside of the kitchen where Judy's eyes were spared from the dizzying pulse of the strobe light. Instead there seemed to be an actual source of persistent light that filled the room with a radiant glow.

The rabbit was filled with gratitude until she spotted its source: a fire that brought its surroundings into an astonishing golden hue. But there was just one thing off about it.

_It was inside the house._

"Shouldn't we… put that out?" She half slurred, a look of concern dominating her features. But the smug fox beside her, his red fur glowing orange in the light of the fire, only grinned. She directed her attention to the flame again, noting how it kept the apartment complex from burning to a crisp since it was contained in a metal garbage can.  _Still so very risky, though._

A daring tiger wearing an Alpha sweater approached the bonfire trashcan and used it to light an astonishingly long joint, one that was made of a foot long roll of papers matching the length of one of Judy's arms. Taking a long draw of the joint, the tiger erupted in a fit of coughs before passing it to others in the room.

Across from him, a skunk held up a shish kebab of arranged meats and poked it into the fire, roasting the flesh as others around him watched almost longingly at the browning morsels.

The smell of weed and cooked chicken was not a pleasant combination to the bunny. Without thinking she almost considered making her leave, momentarily preferring the dangers of standing amongst a rampant dance mob and blood-hungry predators, but ultimately decided a little discomfort in watching the skunk eat meat still beat being hunted down herself.

"Yo asshole, that you?" Asked a deep, familiar voice from a small mammal dressed in Alpha Preda apparel; a short fennec fox with large ears to be in fact, strolling past the crowd to stand in front of his flat mate with his arms outstretched.

"Sure is, missed me?" Nick smirked down at his long-time friend and pounded both of his fists, enacting their usual salutation ritual. The exchange was kind of sweet, if Judy was honest with herself.

"I lost ya back in the alcove. You missed some funny stuff, man. Wolford did that bottle-balancing trick on his nose again…" Finnick glanced to the bunny standing directly left of his flat mate and he paused mid-sentence to acknowledge the surprise guest. "Oh wait, it's Booty-Bunny. Huh. Weird seein' you here." He asked, a jell-o shot held in a small paw. "Fang invited you?"

"Judy," she corrected him without much malice, offering a kind smile down at the intoxicated fox. "And no. Nick did."

"Oh?" Finnick referred to his pal with a cheeky grin. "What's that all about?"

"Classified information," Nick spoke nonchalantly.

"Uh-huh. That means you hustled him again. Or, he was probs plotting on having himself a bunny-kebab tonight." The tan fox chuckled amusingly up at her as the red fox frowned. "The name's Finnick by the way, mammals call me Fin. We sorta-kinda met at my flat last weekend. You likin' the party so far?"

Judy giggled to herself at the boisterous flat mate, very much enjoying this side of him than the grumpy side she had the displeasure of witnessing the day she returned Nick's sweater. "Nice to meet you Finnick. And uh, as far as liking the party goes… I think I do?"

It was a good question, one she wasn't quite sure how to answer. Although she did like the rush of adrenaline danger often gave her, there was a fine line where that rush turned to fear, a feeling she wasn't particularly fond of. And it was a feeling she perpetually felt throughout the night, at least when she wasn't giving herself optimistic pep talks and alcohol wasn't sliding down her throat to silence her fretting.

"You think you do? So ya like The Jungle better?" Finnick asked before downing the shot in his possession and balling the empty cup.

"They're different. Here I'm jus' trying to stay clear from, well, you know…" The rabbit gestured to two nearby flocks of preds, the predators from the ZU football and soccer teams to be exact, that were holding back two members who seemed to be prepared to claw each other's eyes out.

On the other end of the room a lion wearing a red bandana leaned back in a positon that made the bunny think a game of limbo had commenced. Little did she know, no such childish games were ever played at the frat house.

Instead, the lion pining for membership was tilted back and hovering over the burning trash because of a foolish dare, being cheered on by a rowdy group of drunk Alpha members. The lion willingly set the back of his mane on fire, bellowing a roar that made the rabbit cringe. He ran around the room with his head aflame, several alphas laughing hysterically at the sight of his panic, until a lioness swung open the bathroom door for the burning cat. He sped inside, dunking his head into the toilet and filling the small quarters with smoke smelling of burnt hair.

"Oh my god," Judy gasped. "I-Is he okay…?"

Finnick was one of the predators that shook from laughter at the ordeal.

"Whatta dumbass," Nick shrugged, as if completely desensitized from the harsh way the fraternity dealt with aspiring members.  _Was this supposed to be normal in here?_

The lion appeared from the bathroom after a few moments with a weak smile, his arms up and paws making bullhorn signs as his drenched mane hung flat around his head. " _Alpha Preda for life!_ " He roared, inciting the most in the room to howl and cheer. Judy was personally relieved that the feline was okay, and joined in on the cheer for that reason alone.

"Finnick, let me answer your question properly this time. This party… it's  _insane_ ," She exhaled once the commotion simmered down. "I'm surprised the cops haven't busted this place yet for all the hazing. And there're predators practically  _mauling_  each other in the other room."

Fin's ears perked up at her ramble and he laughed. "Fights and pranks happen all the fuckin' time in here." He turned when someone poked his shoulder, and he graciously took the offered foot-long joint after he downed his shot and tossed the cup behind him. With eyes closed he dragged smoothly, smoke evading his nostrils as he expanded his chest and exhaled the majority through his mouth. "Surprised you haven't gotten bitten at yet, bunny."

"Ohhh, she has," Nick informed, sounding more displeased than whimsical. "Check out her neck."

The fennec fox stifled a cough as he scanned her, making the suddenly embarrassed rabbit try to quickly cover the wound with her paws.

"Ho-o- _oly fuck!_ " Finnick's laugh was deep, almost yipping with content that was dangerously contagious. She couldn't help but breathe a small laugh with him, but Nick looked less than amused. "Damn. How the hell did  _that_  happen?"

"Some weird leopard recognized me, said he wanted to 'dance' with me because he was a fan or whatever." Judy rolled her eyes as she recalled it satirically.

Nick clicked his tongue disapprovingly. "And you said  _yes_?"

Judy turned to face him, her lips parted in hesitated protest. "N-no. Well, kind of. But still."

The fennec fox took a few chest-filling drags before speaking again. "But on a more serious note. You should disinfect that thing."

Judy blinked. "Oh. Good idea." For some odd reason, disinfecting the wound hadn't even crossed her mind yet. She nodded in agreement, the responsible gears in her inebriated brain beginning to turn. "There wouldn't happen to be a… first aid kit on the premises by any chance?"

"Nooope." Fin coughed a bit, a wise-crack grin creeping along his muzzle. "We predators just lick our wounds. For the taste, of course." He immediately doubled over, shaking with a laugh he could hardly contain until he regained composure "Ha- no we don't, I'm just fuckin' with ya. But seriously. Fang doesn't have a med kit. Not sure if he even gets injured—he's the one that  _does_  the injuring, on account of all the duels over title of head Alpha he's won… which were a lot. Freaky times, man. Huh, I sure could use another beer. How about you guys?" When he glanced over, the two had disappeared from their previous positions, a late realization made by the rambling fennec fox. " _Shiiit_. I've been talking to my damn-self this whole time?"

 

.o0o.

 

"You mean, this is seriously the only thing you wanna use to disinfect it? There's a Wallabygreens like… five minutes away from here if we walk fast," Nick suggested as he watched the rabbit grab an unopened bottle of vodka and climb down from the cluttered kitchen island counter. She nearly lost her footing which intuitively made the fox try to catch her, but she made it down on her own, standing with the bottle in both paws and beaming confidently.

"No need Nick, this'll work fine. I'll jus' pour some right over it..." She assured him as she opened the bottle.

"Hold up fluff, use this." The fox snatched off a sheet of paper towel and handed it to her, a sheet she generously saturated with vodka, so much so that it leaked onto the floor between them. He winced when she applied the dampened towel against her neck, but in his rightful opinion she took it like a champ, cleaning the area as she bit down on her tongue before discarding the material in a nearby over-loaded trashcan.

"Phew. That… wasn't fun." She spoke her thoughts aloud, placing the transparent liquor bottle back on the counter with a hop, only for it to be swooped up by a tiger.

"That didn't even look remotely fun," the fox breathed a laugh. "Hard-core? Absolutely. Fun? Not at all."

"Hard-core, eh?" Judy gave a tipsy smirk. "Isn't that a compliment?"

He pouted at the smug expression on her face. "Actually it's a synonym for 'reckless' or  _'really, really dumb.'_  Terms that suit you pretty well in my book."

She scowled, initiating a mild moment of tension that made the fox reconsider his taunt. If he was going to be stuck with her all night, he could at least try to make it a decent time.

Before she could give him a drunken lashing with her tongue, the fox began tying the tethered scrap of bandana over her fur to conceal the clean wound. The startled rabbit watched his quick handy-work with a tilted head, her animosity melting gradually as he winded the cloth around her shoulder and underarm twice before tying it off in a knot. She didn't realize she was holding her breath until her lungs audibly unleashed a heavy exhale.

"There," he tutted. "With that on you shouldn't be attracting anymore creeps. Which means you won't be served on a snack platter and I won't have to worry about playing bodyguard and kicking anyone else's ass for the night."  _Or, having my own ass handed to me_ , he amusingly added to himself.

Of course, Judy was touched by the unusual display of affection, but instead of caving into awkward sentimentalities she broke out with a smirk of her own. "I'm already stuck with a creep for the night," she mocked smoothly, rotating her shoulder to test the quality of his makeshift bandage.

" _Oh-ho-ho_ , hold on a sec," the fox bellowed with a wide grin. "How am I the creep here?"

"Well for starters," her drawl was playful, but the tone she continued with was definitely abrasive. "You sent me an inappropriate note in class last week. Secondly, you took a peek under my skirt during our race at The Jungle. And you even took an interest in becoming my sex slave—any o'that ring a bell? Sounds awfully creepy to me." With one of her ears cocked and arms crossed, she shifted her weight and eyed him expectantly.

The fox mimicked her position, crossing his arms. "In my defense, for one: yes, you really do have a nice ass. At least my note was honest. Two: Your skirt ripped and I was behind you. Anyone in my position would've seen your panties. So cut me some slack. And three," a toothy grin conquered his muzzle. "That offer still stands."

His cheeky reply along with the funny wiggle of his eyebrows made Judy laugh, slightly flattered although she feigned annoyance well. "You know I'd reject the offer in a heartbeat." He didn't fall for it however, seeing upward curl at the end of her lips, a sight that strangely warmed his chest.

The two were then confronted by another tray-toting tigress offering an array of more shots, a new batch of malleable cups filled with red sugary gelatin and heady alcohol.

Nick took up a red shot without hesitation. The bunny, however, shook her head sluggishly. "Pass."

The two constantly-bantering pair were then aware of the mild air of awkward silence between them, one that could potentially haunt them throughout the night. Although their malicious spite had died down a few notches within the last few days, a nameless discomfort now took its place.

 _Let's see._   _What was there to talk about?_

"So…" The fox swished his tail as his eyes traveled up her ears and towards the ceiling. "What d'ya think of your fake?" Nick slurred the question like he was fishing for conversation, one of his ears drooping as he looked over her frame. She was too distracted to notice his stare, her dilated pupils focusing on the dancing gleam over the surface of his jell-o shot, the way it trembled in the cup he held in response to the commotion in the house.

Once she acknowledged his question, Judy glanced up from the shot in his paw and scowled softly. "You mean the ID you helped me get? Well, it's  _obviously_  fake."

At the sound of the sass in her tone he barked a laugh, suddenly becoming more invested in the small talk he initiated. "Oh? And why's that? Flash did try his  _darnedest_. Hmm, I wonder. Do farm bunnies actually speak like that?"

"We don't." She muttered dishonestly, not wanting to get into the countryside lingo he'd definitely tease her about for the rest of the night. "But the card's obviously fake because… well," The rabbit flipped out her wallet a bit recklessly, nearly dropping it between clumsy paws before she caught it in mid-air, and finally flashed the fake identification card backwards towards the fox. "See?"

He took the card from her, flipped it over, and scrutinized it before exhaling tipsily. Judy surveyed the fox as he analyzed her card, his fur glowing gold by the fire light as he stood there over her, white collar standing high around his neck and framing his scruff in a way that made her slightly mesmerized.

 

"Looks like the right nerd to me." He affirmed mockingly.

 

"Nooo," she grunted after his comment snapped her out of her trance. "Not the picture, dumb fox. It's the fact that…the font's smudged… and the—"

"Layout is outdated," he finished, his brow arched. "So what? Not like it's going to mean a thing. You'll still get into the bars. Like I promised."

"Well I better, after this thing cost-me-ah  _whole_   _two hundred_  zoobucks," she grumbled drowsily at the thought. She was so dazed then from the mixture of copious amounts of alcohol, she didn't realize the small frown he failed to hide.

The stolen money was something he intended to return. If only he hadn't left it at the flat with the assumption she wouldn't show up. "Hey. Don't worry fluff, it'll all work out. I haven't forgotten our little deal, that card'll get you into the bars for sure."

Judy extended her paw towards him, a signal for the fox to return the card to its rightful owner. "Huh. We'll see."

The fox finally lifted up his shot, his skillful tongue delving into the small cup and scooping the red jelly into his maw with a noisy slurp. He caught her staring as he did, licking his lips as she suddenly averted her eyes.

It was then that the fox played the oldest paw-trick in the book: while she was distracted, he tucked her ID into his jacket pocket and handed her some random business card instead.  _A card swap_. With a Goat-to-Guys plumbing service card, to be exact.

"Like what you see?" He taunted her sweetly, tossing the malleable shot cup aside and taking up two cans from a nearby tray.

The doe groaned awkwardly and turned away from him, stuffing the incorrect card blindly into her wallet. "Not even a little. Someone seems to forget I'm  _still_  pretty upset about that fake ID run… I know you made me take the stairs and let it take forever on purpose," she slurred quietly.

"Says the certain someone who's been bargaining her way into parties by trying to expel me and steal my sweater," he nearly sang, before he dangled one of his cans over her shoulder, making her hesitate before turning on her heels with a wobble to properly inspect it.

 

A can of seltzer water.

 

Judy mulled over his words before she shook her head. "Lame peace offer."

"Not a peace offer." Nick assured. "I just want to share a sobering drink with the bunny I made popular, is all," he quipped in good spirits as he retracted his offer. In reality, even the fox knew when it was time for them to start sobering up, with the way they jumbled their words and swayed in place. "Ever shot-gunned a can before?"

She looked at him curiously, slowly shaking her head.

"Allow me to demonstrate," he hummed, stuffing one of the cans in his pockets.

With a sharp claw, he punctured a hole on the side of the second can and eyed the bunny as he snapped its tab open. He then held the hole near the end of his muzzle and guzzled the drink that shot out. Easily, he tilted his head back and drank the sparkling water out of the puncture greedily.

She had watched his demonstration, observant of how the water dripped down his chin until he managed to down it all without a fuss, a somewhat spellbinding sight if she was painfully honest. He wiped his muzzle with the sleeve of his jacket and crushed the can, sending it flying somewhere in the room.

Her eyes followed the projectile until it fell into the crowd.  _Well then._

"Your turn," the fox hummed, offering a newly punctured can carefully towards the bunny. "Let's see if you can finish it faster than I did?"

The bunny smiled deviously. "Just watch and learn."

Judy adored challenges almost as much as she adored trying something new; fortunately enough, this was both of those things. She directed her undivided attention to the can and took a deep breath before bringing the large puncture to her mouth, her lips eclipsing the opening. It almost seemed like he tore a larger hole in her can, perhaps purposely so, but she disregarded that inference.

Maintaining eye contact with the prankster, she snapped the tab open and prepared for the sudden gush of ice cold bubbling water. She nearly choked trying to manage its demanding current, swallowing fast as it flooded her mouth. This 'shot-gunning' technique was different—an odd way to drink out of a can in the bunny's personal opinion, but regardless the seltzer water did wonders to dilute the troubling contents in her stomach.

The fox's stare followed the tantalizing drip of sparkling water down the side of her muzzle. She ignored the trickling sensation down her muzzle, feeding on the can fervently and simultaneously breathing through pink nostrils. It took thirty seconds tops before the can ran empty, beating Nick's minute-and-a-half lap by a landslide.

 

Victoriously she held up the empty can and smirked at the dumbfounded fox.

 

His jaw dropped.  _Well, that's an interesting little talent._

" _Boom_ ," she slurred confidently at him, rocking on her feet a bit as giggled.

"Big deal, so you're fast," he snorted playfully, flicking the can from her paw with a finger and sending it to the floor.

Judy gasped in a mock-offense. "You are such a sore los—" she was interrupted by her own unannounced sound, a loud burp to be exact, which was the result of her fast consumption of the canned fizzy drink. The brutal noise that drifted from her made her cup her mouth in blatant embarrassment, her face heating up instantly.  _Whoops_.

Her burp caused the fox's eyes to widen before bursting into a sudden fit of laughter. His amusement stemmed from a sole question: how could a sound like that come from a cute little bunny? Nick's laughs were so sweet-sounding and contagious they even rivaled Finnick's, and so the rabbit couldn't help but drop her paws and giggle along with him.

In that temporary moment between them it seemed like all the animosity that existed when they were sober had disappeared. Oddly enough, it felt like they had known each other for years during that shared heartfelt laugh, no sarcasm or awkwardness capable of tainting it.

Even when she thought she regained composure, all it took was a single snort from him to reduce her to a two-feet tall pile of childish giggles.

"Okay… okay I'm done…" Nick breathlessly heaved, wiping at one of his eyes.

"Hah, oh my gosh, excuse me," Judy panted with a bashful smile, holding her sides. One can of seltzer water was already slowly sobering her up, much to her relief, even if it had some embarrassingly gaseous side effects. "Can't promise it'll be my outrageous last burp though. Might shot-gun s'more down before I head back to campus."

"Good idea." Nick agreed once he recovered from his chuckling. "So uh… wanna do two outta three?"

Within the next few minutes they took up a few more claw-punctured seltzer cans, held several shot-gun races (all in which Judy won, of course), and even commented on the quality of their burps.

 

" _How was that?"_

 

" _Hmm, that one was a solid six out of ten. Needed a little more base. Nice crescendo though."_

 

" _Alright, ready? Aaaand… go!"_

 

" _Fuck wait, I wasn't ready!"_

 

Nick was winded when he broke contact from the puncture, unable to finish his third can as he looked down at a smirking bunny showcasing the already-empty one in her paws. "Holy shit, isn't that breathing trick of yours considered cheating? I call four out of six. Rematch."

"You'd just lose again," she hummed tauntingly, small paws on tilted hips.

The two tipsy mammals were smirking at each other for a moment before the bunny broke eye contact, averting her eyes after realizing how  _entirely strange_  it was for them to do anything more than just simply tolerate one another. Or rather, how strange it  _should've_  been. "Anyway. It's uh, getting kind of late."

"Boo. Leaving already?" Nick leaned back against the kitchen island, his tail swishing pleasantly behind him.

"Since I'm sobering up a little and managed to survive this madhouse so far unharmed, I'd say it's probably time to head on out." Judy shrugged indecisively. "I think I got my fair share of the frat house. I completed that ridiculous funnel challenge, downed some jell-o shots, witnessed some fights…" She counted the happenings with her fingers while he smirked and nodded at each mention. "Oh, and let us not forget my almost getting eaten alive and all. That was the highlight." She breathed a small laugh.

"If I recall correctly, you were almost eaten twice," Nick jokingly amended.

"Ha, true. But despite the odds… I had a good time tonight." She peered up at him warmly, an expression that was entirely new to the fox until this point. His smirk faltered slightly at the very sight. "By the way, now that I can properly English," she started amusingly, "I really want to thank you in person for walking me home that other night. And fending off those creeps from earlier. You saved me."

Nick's eyes widened at the genuine gratitude coming from the bunny he was usually at odds with, suddenly unsure of how to respond. Gratitude like that didn't come his way very often. "Oh, that?  _Psshh_." He swatted the air with his paw. "It's no big deal, really," he murmured as he nonchalantly crossed his ankles, his elbows on the counter behind him.

Judy shook her head. "Well I think it's a very big deal." And truly, she meant it.  _Who knew the guy I considered a bully had the capacity to be selfless? And actually… not completely terrible to spend time with?_ "Look, I know we're strangers. And yeah, we don't get along all too swell. But… I think I can confidently say you're not the snarky fox you make yourself out to be."

Deep emerald eyes watched her for a moment in baffled disbelief. Speechless.

While he did have the capacity to be cruel, even he knew there was limit to it. Nick didn't usually dwell on his tendencies to assist mammals that desperately needed help, but tonight he reevaluated that trait he first considered as weakness to be something more of a gift.

There was another moment of silence as the two watched the dying flame in the kitchen trash can, which gradually darkened the room into a dim amber glow. The silence between them was surprisingly more comfortable than the last, and was broken once the grey rabbit returned her eyes to the fox to speak.

"Alright, have a good night. No need to walk me out, I'm quick on my feet. And this bandage you made me should keep me from being a target." Judy confidently assured as she started towards the kitchen exit.

"Hold up Carrots," Nick chirped, making Judy pause in her tracks to look back at him. "I think you're forgetting something?" The fox then flashed a mischievous grin that inspired an inquisitive look from the rabbit.

Slowly, he withdrew the fake ID from his jacket pocket and presented it to her.

The bunny was confused for a moment before her mouth when agape at the object he held.

_How in the world…_

"Whoa. But… I could've  _sworn_  you gave that back to me." She looked into her wallet, spotting the bait card he gave her instead and gasped in good-humor at the sight of it. The bunny cracked a surprised grin up at him, clearly impressed at his paw-trick. "Hah.  _Very_  funny, Slick Nick."

Nick shrugged coolly, twirling the card between skillful fingers. "It's an old trick. Nothing special, really."

Judy laughed as she read the print on business card aloud. "Goat-to-Guys plumbing service, 'We've got the best pipes in town'…? Ha, what even?  _Why?_ " She looked up at him with a confused smile.

He chuckled low, quite appreciative of his own sense of cheesy humor. "Figured the pipes over at Hornstein Hall might need some expecting after those sprinklers  _mysteriously_  went off two weeks ago."

She smiled sarcastically, a mischievous gleam in her eyes. "That's real kind of you. A fireless activation of the sprinkler system definitely raises a red flag," she teased, "but I won't need this card since I think I have a hunch on what caused it. Or, more accurately,  _who_  caused it."

Before Nick could respond, Judy quickly closed the space between them, rising onto her tippy toes in an attempt to snatch her card away from him. He certainly didn't expect her next move, and she certainly wasn't about to let her first wrestling lesson go to waste. But he held the card higher, grinning down at the semi-tipsy rabbit that pressed herself against him.

"Whoa, a little,  _hah_ , eager there," he breathed a laugh at how she struggled to reach and tugged on his jacket to gain leverage. She even started to hop up in place to grab it but he held it higher with a toothy grin. "Y'know, I was just gonna,  _ack_ , give it back and show you the trick. But now," he turned around so his back faced her, yet she relentlessly tried to get a hold onto his jacket sleeve, "you've ambushed me… so now you've gotta try harder for it, fluff butt."

Then the tipsy rabbit blinked at the sudden loss of proximity from him, almost tripping over her own feet once he managed to slip away.

On quick feet he snuck off into the strobe light room and she sped after him, the two laughing and stumbling past the crowd until they collided in the pulsing darkness.

" _Got you!_ " Finally she caught him, grabbing his arm breathlessly and he relented with a playful sigh of surrender. "Now, give."

As he yielded, he stood there frozen in the midst of the moshing chaos around them, his eyes fixated on her gloriously goofy smile.

In the darkness something hot,  _blissfully_ hot, smoothed over her lips causing the rabbit to thoughtlessly respond by softly parting them. The second pass of his tongue skimmed over her lower lip, then her tongue which willingly extended to meet his, her front teeth, and higher still, rolling over her pink snout and withdrawing in an upward curl.

The taste and smell of sugary alcohol was suddenly acknowledged by the dazed rabbit with the suddenly wet nose. In a daze, she ran her own curious tongue over the front pair of teeth he licked.

It took five whole seconds for them both to realize what just transpired between them in the supposed rush of the moment.

 

.o0o.

 

"…Uhh," he nervously exhaled, his eyes fluttering.

Judy wore a ridiculous expression before she realized just  _who_  just initiated the unwarranted tongue-slip with her. Weakly she shoved him back, despite the sincere delight she felt from the exchange, the force behind her shove barely affecting his stance.

"W-what was that?" She asked incredulously, her heart racing furiously behind her ribcage.  _Just what the hell was that?_

_And why did I kind of like it?_

Nick wondered similarly, mulling over the reason behind his strange action.

The taste on her lips lingered on his tongue. Maybe it was the scent on her that got him going.  _That's it, the lick was just me giving into some weird fucking primal urge to taste her. That has to be it. God, that's embarrassing._

After a long moment of contemplation and dilated violet eyes waiting for an explanation, he responded. "I-I dunno." He murmured in a monotone grunt. "Look, I'm shitfaced. Plus your raw hickie isn't doing me any favors."

Judy gasped as she cupped the raw spot on her neck, hiding it from him. "Oh…"

Nick watched her nose quiver in what he assumed was fear. "Chill out. It's not like I'm gonna  _eat_  you."

No, he never wanted to snack on her like that disturbed leopard did from earlier that night. This physical exchange was different. Tender instead of aggressive, soothing instead of painful. It wasn't inspired by the mere thought of her taste or her smell, no. His licking her wasn't a mindless act out of ancient instinct. Not in the slightest.

Just then the fox realized— it was a silly action inspired by an even sillier sentimentality.

An unannounced emotional weight suddenly crushed him. Nick would rather believe it was the weed smoke and alcohol in his system that made him want to taste her, or the blood in her fur that riled some ancient nature in him. Those were the only reasons he wanted to buy into, for the sake of not complicating his life with any implication of romance.

"How about…" he spoke without his usual semblance of calmness, offering the fake ID back to her without teasing this time. "We just… pretend that never happened?"

Judy nodded slowly once she noticed the abundance of awkward tension between them as well as the apologetic expression on his face. "…Nick." She extended her free paw out towards him to accept his offer. "Whatever just happened..." Nick let the card fall out of his grip and watched it land directly onto her paw, probably to prevent any unnecessarily contact with her. "…don't worry about it. It's- it's okay."

Then when the strobe light blinked, he was gone.

 

.o0o.

 

It was rather unfortunate, that when the night was starting to look up for the fox, he managed to soil it with just one mindless move.

But it was even more unfortunate, that the said mindless move was seen by a particular mammal reclined against a nearby wall in the very strobe room it transpired in.

That mammal went by the name of Duke Weaselton.

At the sight of Nick Wilde dodging his way through the crowd he typically reacted how he usually did when the red fox entered his sights: he rolled his eyes. Or grumbled beneath his breath. This time, it was both, the beer can in his paw even crackled with how tensely he held it.

He normally disliked Nick for the same reason that most other lower ranks had grown to dislike him; he had become particularly popular at an astounding rate and started to demand low ranks around just like the other high-ranking Alphas did. But in his ascension to ZU fame, his requests were less merciful than those made by the other high ranks.

Nick's influence over the frat, or the university in general, was beginning to rival even Fang's authority.

Although Weaselton would have rather stared at the two sorority girls making out sloppily in a corner of the room, he had his eyes peeled on the fox when he realized that a familiar little bunny had chased after him.  _What the hell was she even doin' here?_

Duke sipped silently from his crinkled can as he observed the two collide into one another amidst the dancers.

The strobe light made his spying particularly tricky. His eyes were excellent for seeing in the dark, but the constant flash of the bright light directly behind him made it difficult for his skillful eyes to properly adjust.

So when he saw that the fox and bunny were muzzle to muzzle through the squint of his eyes, of course, he choked on his beer and hacked into his elbow. Drunkenly, he jerked his head upwards again, catching the return of the fox's tongue into his maw before the two shared a brief exchange of goofy smiles.

"Holy  _shit_ …"

The weasel stood behind a nearby lion, peering from beyond his mane so as not to get caught watching the two. He scandalously grinned when the bunny tried to shove the fox, watching as they spoke rigidly and their previous frivolous demeanor shifted to discomfort or frustration. After he passed the rabbit something that Duke couldn't quite make out, the fox dipped.

Nick hastily pushed through the crowd towards the frat house exit like he was trying to beat a runner's marathon.

Immediately, Weaselton dropped his half-full can of beer and sped through the dancers in the opposite direction, shoving past inebriated predators and circling around the blazing trashcan in the kitchen. He was headed towards the alcove, where the head Alpha was bound to be relaxing since he was nowhere else to be seen.

Separating the beaded curtain, Duke ducked into the alcove and breathlessly approached the hyena at the end of the water bed. "Heya, boss! I got some news yer  _not_  gonna fuckin' believe…"

But it was obviously a bad time, judging by the way a wolf had been grooming the hair down the head Alpha's chest with her tongue, her paws on the belt buckle of his jeans.

"Not now, Weeze. I'm kinda busy here if you couldn't see." The hyena didn't even break eye contact with the silver wolf that crouched on all fours atop of the waterbed in front of him. He growled seductively as his frayed tail wagged close to the floor. "It can wait. So scram."

"But boss… It's about… Wilde." Duke murmured hesitantly. "And that Hornstein bunny."

The hyena said nothing although his ears perked up at the mention of Nick's last name, the wolf entertaining him moving to sit upright to nip at his neck.

Weaselton continued, shaking his head with a wicked smile. "I… I saw them, boss. They  _kissed_. He kissed that bunny, and I saw it with my own two eyes."

_A high-rank Alpha, kissing an unwanted prey guest at a predator-pride house._

The hyena's head snapped up and away from the darling wolf, inciting a sad moan in her. After a few seconds of pensive silence, he stepped away from the bed. "This'll have to wait, love." Fang gave her cheek a stroke with a clawed thumb before turning around and buckling his belt. He now addressed the weasel standing in front of him. With eyes dark and grin curious, he brought a paw to Duke's shoulder and gave it a hard pat. "Tell me  _exactly_  what you saw."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Clumsy fox.
> 
> I really wanted to title this chapter "Slip of the Tongue" because that idiom works so nicely with what happens (and also happens to mean "a blunder" or mistake) buuut I was afraid it'd be too obvious! Hahah.
> 
> Writing this chapter honestly gave me butterflies.
> 
> The song that was on repeat for a majority of me writing this was "Nothing's Gonna Hurt You Baby," by Cigarettes After Sex.
> 
> This chapter is so diabolically long, as most "party" chapters will be, because they just don't feel complete if they're short. Hopefully it can be cherished since I will most likely not publish during the following week. Anywho, tell me what you thought! Comments/reviews are love!


	14. Wisdom

On Sunday night, a contemplative fox stared at a blank text file on his laptop, his fingers resting over the keyboard as he mindlessly eyed the blinking cursor.

It seemed he wasn’t as focused on his Creative Writing paper as he should have been. In fact, for it being the last night to get some work out of the way so he could study for his morning exam, he wasn’t focused at all.

His writing assignment was due digitally on the ZU online portal (11:59 pm to be precise), which happened to be the same paper that needed to be handed in as a hard copy the following week. Nick wondered to himself why teachers wanted the digital version up so damn early, but he knew it was to ensure plagiarism wasn’t a factor in the finished work ( _yada yada_ ), so he didn’t bother to whine internally about it to himself.

There were probably other better things to whine about. Like getting said paper out of the way so he could finish studying for the Criminal Justice 101 exam, which was just hours away.

If Nicholas Wilde worked diligently without a single distraction to plague his mind, he’d currently be crashing against his pillow after submitting a _solid_ five page paper, reading through some dense test material, and ending the night dozing off by counting sheep.

_But no_ , he mused silently to himself as he sat against the wooden post at the foot of his bed.

Instead, the fox was completely absorbed by the events that transpired at the frat house party. A specific moment, replaying over and over in his mind like some kind of whacked-out old-school cassette recorder.

As he eyed the cursor he could somewhat reimagine it now.  Drunken, slowly sobering laughs, a teasing game of chase, a collision in the strobe room where he surrendered to his captor. Then, in a flash of something fueled by what he figured was sentiment or stupidity, he imparted a kiss on Judy without warning, known reason, or logic.

The kiss in itself was gentle, natural, and admittedly sweet considering it wasn’t the byproduct of lust just like all his previous kisses were. This exchange was different. _But that wasn’t the point_. The point was that the unannounced kiss probably painted him out to be _even more_ of a jerk to the one mammal he had been intending to come to decent terms with. _As if there was even a chance now._

All weekend long Nick debated sending Judy a text just for the sake of breaking the ice, perhaps to excuse his uncalled-for deed at the end of that forsaken night. But every time he tried to send a decent text her way…

 

_Hey. So about what happened between us yesterday…_

 

_Carrots, you awake? Um, I just wanted to tell you that I’m…_

 

_So there’s this weird theory I thought up. Fox muzzles do this funny thing where they ‘boop’ other mammals’ muzzles without warning… so… whoops?_

 

_I’m… an idiot. Can we just agree on that?_

 

…he didn’t have the nerve to press send. He hardly finished his messages, clicking his teeth when he deleted the jumble of awkward words with a fell swoop of the indifferent cancel button. Poof, gone.

“This is embarrassing,” he grunted to himself on the edge of his bed earlier that day, rubbing his face with a paw while the other held his phone.

Why he was so flustered at the thought of his kiss with Judy? Why did the thought alone send his insides curling and his fingers hesitant to message her? Nick hadn’t a clue. Maybe it was shame, or guilt, or confusion. Most likely a mix of the three.

So later that night, the fox staring blankly at his computer screen found relief when the side of his face fell onto the keyboard with a thud. He shook himself awake and used the surge of newfound alertness to focus on beginning his paper.

“C’mon already. No more brain maze. Let’s get this show on the road, Wilde.” He murmured to himself as he quickly stretched his arms and began to tap away at his laptop.

 

‘… _My interpretive observations suggest that the main character of the poetic fiction, “Desire finds a Way” by Brandhoof, undergoes a major metamorphosis. She begins as the antagonist but becomes the heroine ...”_

 

It was an unread, rough draft that probably contained more than just a few grammatical errors or overly flowery language, blame his restless thoughts.

Needless to say the fox typed away, green eyes skimming the passage as his fingers danced over the keyboard.

 

_‘…the main character speaks in first-mammal.  She tells the reader how she is forced to revisit past events and enemies, but with a new perspective…_

_…the author utilizes a literary device called ‘anaphora,’ which means the repetition of words or phrases in a sentence. This technique shows how the character evolves …_

_(I quote): “Those cold blue eyes, eyes I hated once, hated because they lingered in their harsh stare, stare at me now like they have never stared before.”_

_…(The author continues): “Those harsh eyes are now soft. I wonder. One day, can my eyes soften like that too?”…’_

 

Nick suddenly paused, caught in a dwelling-spell as he went off on an internal tangent.

To the fox, all mammals proved the ability to change.

Whether those most needing of change were going to, well, that was uncertain. Many were likely too stubborn to even admit they needed changing, much less actually change for the better. During his time at ZU, Nick felt like he once belonged to that stubborn, unchanging category. Once.

But now? Well, there was a subtle change in the fox even he himself recognized.

So what subtly changed in him, then? From the Nicholas Wilde with an obvious narcissistic streak showcasing his shit-eating grin every chance he got despite external criticism, to the fox that began to care less and less about his status in the fraternity ranks. A fox that now, strangely, cared more about the consequences he faced and a freshman rabbit’s feelings.

The way he saw it, he put himself in this mess. And this weekend he put himself in the worst position yet. The tongue slip.

Whatever intention that haunting act was born from, he refused to acknowledge at the moment being. He finally convinced himself that he simply didn’t have time to self-reflect, not with all the work that had to be done.  

So he put his earbuds in, kept himself from going on further mental tangents, and honed his focus solely to the words flowing effortlessly from his fingerpads. With the music drowning out the contents of his head he managed to write the paper in under an hour, digitally submitting it before the near-midnight deadline with a sigh of relief.

_One assignment down, now to study. Woo._

 

.o0o.

 

On the night before her first college exam, Judy Hopps was cooped up in a small cubicle at the ZU library, listening to Pigthoven through rented headphones and meticulously memorizing her notes (or at least trying to) with a dense stack of flash cards she was making by paw.

The eager bunny tried to plan out her last-minute, very-much-procrastinated studying with a step-by-step schedule to keep track of the time.

Unfortunately, she didn’t work ‘nodding off mid-study’ into the schedule.

Several times throughout the night, she’d wake up with a cheek resting within the divide between the open pages of her Criminal Justice textbook, and each time she’d jolt up with a gasp.

At one point she tried to combat the desire to nap by retreating to the bathroom for a much needed impromptu break, one not included in her little makeshift study-schedule. Standing on the edge of the nearest sink meant for larger mammals, she turned on the faucet with a foot and carefully knelt forward to splash some of the rushing cold water onto her face. It wasn’t until her violet eyes gazed into the mirror did she see a neon pink sticky note stuck onto her reflection’s cheek.

Thankfully, no one besides a humored rhino behind her saw, and she flashed the sole witness of her sticky-note-face an embarrassed smile.

After the bunny gathered herself, she followed the bathroom trip with an extra measure to assure that her head wouldn’t meet the textbook again, if she could help it; she downed numerous caffeinated energy drinks in the form of ZooBull and Meowster, drinks that she didn’t find all too enjoyable to consume, but were consumed nonetheless.

The actions she took to stay awake worked fairly quickly, making the wet-faced and now suddenly energetic bunny begin to shiver as she piled her finished flash cards into a tall stack. Once she was done neatly writing and mentally reciting a definition on a card, she’d grab a new index card and fill it with some new information. It proved to be a tedious process, but one she carried on.

Randomly, it appeared when her mind wasn’t trying to drift into a much needed sleep, it would drift off to the eventful frat party just a few nights before.

With a card frozen in grey paws, Judy evoked the encounter she had with Nick.

Or her encounter with his muzzle, to be precise.

After that bizarre moment between them, the rabbit didn’t stay at the party for much longer.

From what Judy recalled, she managed to get some more water from the helpful fennec fox, who watched her greedily rehydrate in preparation for heading back to campus. In just minutes, the large jug he had given her was empty, and she exhaled in relief as sobriety slowly claimed her with every passing minute.

“Damn. You were pretty thirsty, huh?” He amusingly noted once she set the jug aside and wiped her mouth with the back of a wrist.

Judy made a weak laugh. “Yeah. Just wanted to sober up before I, y’know, head out. It’s a long walk back.” _In other words, I need to sober up more so I can mentally evaluate what the hell just happened tonight._

“I getcha.” Fin responded to the bunny as he scratched below his ear and glanced around the dimly lit kitchen. “Uh, by the way, you seen Nick around by any chance? Once you two went off somewhere for a medical kit or whatever, haven’t seen him since.”

Her eyes fell along with the motion of her ears. “I… haven’t.” she replied in a murmur, the cold water doing little to tame the burn still persistent under her fur after her awkward fumble with the said fox just minutes before. “Thanks for the water, Finnick. It should do the trick.”

Fin nodded, staring down at the phone in his paw, probably to see if his flat mate had texted or called him about heading out sooner than he anticipated. But judging by the frown that grew on his muzzle, he did no such thing. “Huh. Weird.” The small fox pursed his lips. “Usually doesn’t bounce like that without lettin’ me know. But anyways, about the water, you’re welcome. Get back safe.”

“I will.” The bandana around her neck did wonders to ward off any unsavory intentions.

Finally level-headed enough, she ambled out of the frat house in a steady walk towards campus. During her travelling Judy recognized that that the city was still lively at the dead of night, filled with speeding cars and chatty hordes of mammals still loitering about. Zootopia’s nightlife certainly rivaled the single question ringing loud in her head at the time.

 

_Was I… just kissed by Nicholas Wilde?_

 

It was odd, how not-mad she was about it, but instead simply surprised and quite frankly confused.

So as she currently sat at the library cubicle with that familiar burn greeting her cheeks again, she reminded herself of his final words.

 

_“How about… we just pretend that never happened?”_

 

Although Judy certainly wondered why the kiss even _happened_ in the first place, it was something she couldn’t get hung up on now. Not with an impending test just hours away.

 

**8:10 pm**

“Okay, okay I got this… the cards are all made,” the bunny exhaled to herself, her paws trembling from the caffeine as she spread out the cards in piles: _stuff I got down, stuff that needs to be reviewed, stuff not studied._

 

**9:54 pm**

“Who makes the laws?” She tapped her foot beneath the cubicle pensively. “The… judicial branch?” She flipped the card and winced. _Legislative branch._ Into the review pile it went.

 

**11:32 pm**

_“Thirty minutes until the library closes. I repeat, you have thirty minutes remaining before the lights shut off.”_ Came a bored voice through the speaker system. Judy swore underneath her breath. _Really?_

 

**3:02 am**

Under the mini desk lamp in her dorm room she finally got all of the flash cards out of the _stuff not studied_ pile. Too bad two dozen other cards were still in the _stuff that needs to be reviewed_ pile. Judy groaned to herself, muffling the sound with her paws as Bellwether tussled in her sleep.

 

**4:52 am**

She looked at her bed longingly for a moment. _I’ll set a timer for fifteen minutes. Just fifteen. Then more reading. Actually, wait, no- there ain’t no rest for the wicked._

 

**6:12 am**

Judy pulled an all-nighter. Her very first, and most definitely, the last.

Once awake Bellwether questioned the bunny’s choice in wearing a turtle-neck sweater at the end of August. “It’s like seventy degrees out. You’ll melt out there.” Dawn murmured as she climbed out of bed. “Also, I didn’t hear the alarm this morning. Did you not go to sleep last night? Judy?” The sheep noticed the bunny immersing herself in a near-panic through her notebook and index cards, so she decided to drop the questions. “Never mind. You seem pre-tty busy.”

Stinging violet eyes even reviewed the merciless stack of cards on her way to her test that early Monday morning, quietly muttering the terms she managed to memorize, and re-reading at the speed of light to force-feed information that just didn’t sink in. Judy even skipped breakfast, against Bellwether’s advice, to plow through pages of notes as time before the test dwindled.

 

Cramming for an exam by waiting for the night before to study suddenly seemed like a _terrible_ idea.

 

At her seat in the front of class, Judy was so focused on last-minute reviewing that she didn’t even notice the frat fox saunter in earlier than usual. Inexplicably her heart skipped at the sight of him, and she was suddenly made aware of the urge to wet her lips.

As Nick entered, he glanced around the room of mammals cramming recklessly. _Amateurs_ , he thought with a smile.

Making eye contact with Judy was what made his internal taunting fall short. He knew then that the only way to avoid a bunny-themed distraction during the test was to change his seat for the day. So he did, opting for his usual lecture hall row of choice.

Judy noticed when the fox didn’t occupy the typical seat behind her. She even glanced back and watched him march up the steps to the very back row before forcing her sore sights on her notes again.

Minutes later the professor entered the hall with a calm smile. “Morning students. Wow, what a turn out. We’ve got a full house today, I think I’m even seeing some new faces,” she noted humorously, which only earned her a low, dry chorus of chuckles. “Hope you’ve all spent the weekend preparing. Please clear your desks, no phones out, and eyes on your own exam. Best of luck.”

The beaver gingerly passed out the exam booklets face down onto each desk and once everyone held a copy, she promptly instructed them to begin. With only fifty minutes of total time, Judy paced herself, answering each intimidating question with excruciating detail— essentially she word vomited for the hopes that the correct answer was _somewhere_ in there.

 

Her eyes burned for sleep as she read the questions.

 

_#5) Within the last half century, name only four pieces of legislation the Zootopian Congress passed specifically for crime fighting purposes. (15 pts)_

 

Her heart was racing, a tremble in her paws and a persistent grumble in her stomach as she jotted her responses along the paper.

Just thirty minutes into the test and the first mammal stood to turn in their exam to the front of the class. Judy snapped her eyes up for a moment to check who the speed-test taker was, seeing it was none other than a slightly frazzled Nicholas Wilde. He handed in his booklet to Dr. Castor, who accepted it without suspicion, and strolled out of the class with a tired yawn.

It was no surprise to the rabbit that it was none other than the fox who likely gave up mid-test, considering he barely attended class and had likely invested his priorities elsewhere.

Staying optimistic, the bunny continued on, flipping pages as she progressed onto different questions based on material she was familiar with. Some, not so familiar with. But she answered them as best as she could.

Judy turned in the exam with a minute to spare before leaving the lecture hall, her heart pounding as she pushed through the double doors.

_It’s over!_

Outside of the classroom stood Bellwether waiting for the bunny, who gave her a conserved yet smug smile. “Yay, you finished! You were cutting it kinda close there. So, how’d you do?” The sheep asked curiously as they began heading out of the building side by side.

“How did I do… uh, okay, I think?” Judy exhaled hopefully over to the sheep. It certainly didn’t seem as nightmarish as she imagined, but it wasn’t very easy either. It was going to be a toss-up, and she just hoped that the results were going to be in her favor. “What about you?”

Bellwether shrugged humbly. “Definitely passed. Maybe made a few silly mistakes here and there. Got stuck on number seven. But I’m sure you did fine, Judy. Anyway, did you see how Wilde gave in his exam so early? Just _threw in_ the towel, just like that!” She swayed her hoof like she was throwing an imaginary Frisbee for emphasis. “Pssh, there’s no doubt he bombed it.” Dawn cackled softly as she adjusted the strap of her over-the-shoulder bag more comfortably across her chest.

The bunny mused over her words for a moment, long ears drooping a smidge. “ _Hah_. Yeah…”

Perhaps two weeks ago when seeking vengeance was still on her to-do list, the rabbit would have been delighted at the notion of Wilde tanking a test. But now? The mere mention of his name no longer brought on the fury or aggravation it once did. Right now, if what Dawn assumed was true, maybe Judy pitied the fox a little.

They pushed through the Wolfhartt front doors and arrived outside where Judy made sure to breathe deeply and jog over to the nearest snack station before her next class. The sun was peeking out of the clouds in beams as if rejoicing with the mammals that psychologically survived their first college exam.

 

.o0o.

 

The red fox spent the remainder of the week immersed in any distraction he could afford. Long walks, even longer runs, hangouts with the guys, tidying up his place a little, literally anything that could pull his mind out of the rabbit-hole it constantly found itself lingering in.

No matter how much Nick tried to avoid Judy in those few days out of some lame humiliation over an impulsive kiss, he saw her often.

Like when he saw her at the on-campus grill station where she stood on line with a tray of sautéed veggies and a smoothie, her back to him. For a moment he believed he had the nerve to speak to her casually, maybe wipe the slate clean and actually follow through with his own advice: Pretend it never happened.

After all, he had been carrying her money in his wallet ever since that night, intending to return it somehow without making matters worse between them. If that was even possible.

_I’ll just say hello_ , he thought to himself as he noticed her advance on the line to pay for her food items.  _Give it back, apologize, and go on my merry way. It’ll be like ripping off a bandage._  

Nick held his breath when he left the cooked meats pick-up area, sauntering slowly over towards Judy on the line. His wind of confidence fell at the sight of two of her friends taking her side suddenly, a large cheetah and small black sheep greeting her warmly and beginning a chat.

The last thing he wanted was an audience to witness his clumsy attempt of an apology, and rehearsing the prepared lines in his head didn’t seem convincing enough, so he canceled his order and decided to skip lunch altogether.

 

At the end of the week, Nick conceded to himself that he’d finally make the awkward air between himself and the freshman rabbit end. He needed to stop being so hesitant about speaking to her. Then maybe things would feel normal.  

 

So, he reached out to the one mammal he knew he could always rely on for a little motivation.

 

Early Saturday morning, the flustered red fox decided to dial his mother.

 

“Hey mom,” he murmured with a warm smile he could never conceal when he spoke to her. As always, she’d breathe a delighted gasp at the chime of his voice, a voice she would often say resembled his father’s when he was his age.

“ _Long time no speak, pup!_ ” Her low-pitched voice sweetly greeted, even using that little pet name he had heard so often in his youth.

He grinned. “Yeah, long time no speak.” For as long as he could remember, it was always just him and his mother. She was an open book, a wise-crack that knew how to get the giggles out, incredibly patient, and undeniably tough when necessary.

Ever since he was young their communication always included sincerity, comedy, and guidance. Nick was convinced no other vixen could have handled raising such a tricky kit as he was, so without a doubt he was immensely grateful for her. It was no wonder, then, that the two had a strong bond.

Once he moved out of the house and started his first academic year at ZU, their interactions became less frequent. Even miles away, she could detect a change in her son’s demeanor; from optimistic to cynical, sensitive to guarded. The dynamics of college life to her was a mystery since she never went far in her education, but she was clever enough to know that the brotherhood he joined was likely to blame for the change.

“How’s school treating you? And would it _kill you_ to at least text me a little more often? _Geez_.”

The humor in her tone caused him to weakly snicker into the receiver. “I’m sorry ma. I’ll shoot you more texts every now and then just to let you know I’m alive. You know I really suck at the whole communication thing while I’m at college and all…” Nick bashfully replied, softly clawing at the dark end of the tail laying over his lap. “Anyway, school’s fine. Submitted a solid paper for Creative Writing this week. Took a Criminal Justice test. Went for a run. Real exciting stuff.” She chuckled at his nonchalant sarcasm. “But I’m... well. How about you?”

“Doing as fine as ever, especially now that you’ve called. Although it’s nice to hear from you pup, it’s also weird, considering you’re not much of a morning fox _and_ it’s a weekend. Also, you hesitated a little when you said you were well. You sure everything’s alright?”

“That’s nice. And, uh.” He bit his cheek for a moment, curling the black furs at the end of his tail with a finger. “I’ll just get right to the point then, since I keep forgetting you’re practically psychic and all.”

“Mhmm.” He could only imagine her humored eye roll now. “Go on.”

Nick continued cautiously. “You could say that I’m… _kind of_ in a pickle?”

There was a crunching sound coming from her end, like the sound of dry earth, accompanied by the clinking of metal. But the sounds of what he assumed was her new plant-potting hobby had paused at his admission. “A pickle?”

He exhaled. “Yeah.”

“What’s wrong?” The once feathery-light quality of her voice soon became serious. “What mess are you into now? If it has anything to do with that ridiculous fraternity again…”

“No, uh, it’s not that,” Nick assured to ease her disapproving tone. “I just need some advice, is all. You’re great at advice.” He closed his eyes and bit the side of his cheek for a few seconds while he mustered the courage to spew his dilemma. “Spontaneous-intimacy-with-a-girl-I-thought-I-didn’t-like-at-all kind of advice. _Ha_.”

“Whoa, hold on there, tiger,” his mother sputtered a laugh. “You’re not part-sloth, I get it. But could ya slow it down a bit and remember to breathe when you talk? Explain it to me step by step and I’ll help as best as I can.”

“Okay.” Nick took a moment to compose himself. “One sec.” He made sure to check for Finnick’s whereabouts, who fortunately happened to be cooped up in the bathroom with his Zootooth speaker blasting away.

Once his bedroom door was shut, the red fox paced the floor of his room and quietly recounted everything. At least, everything that wouldn’t get him immensely scolded.

“This is how it all started.”

He mentioned his rivalry with the freshman bunny briefly, not delving into his shenanigans in detail.  

“When we met, she immediately trusted me which was honestly the last thing I expected. I mean, a rabbit trusting a fox straight off the bat? It was odd. A good kind of odd. But me, being a _jerk_ , turned that fox-trusting rabbit into a bit of a spectacle…”

Nick confessed that he picked on her feisty qualities for a laugh, then butted heads with her constantly, and found himself hustled not just once but twice as a result. That sure was a kicker.

 “I guess you could say I was sort of intrigued...”

Quietly he admitted that Judy was unlike any other prey he had ever met before; a stranger who knew almost disturbingly well how to push his buttons and respond to his every comeback. Even being the mammal kind that she was, she was not intimated by him or his fraternity of predators in the least. Anyone could admit that was an impressive quality.

“I thought that maybe she was gullible about how the world really works, like how I used to be. I thought she needed a reality check. But I think… I think she gave _me_ one.”

Nick’s mumbled words became littered with quiet sighs and stutters as he brought up the parts where he behaved differently towards her. Like when he let her borrow his sweater after taking her home one night. Carrying an unconscious bunny up four flights proved to be a worthy exercise.

Eventually he quit making her the pinnacle of his entertainment. Invited her out to exclusive hang outs as part of a deal, fended her from unorthodox preds at a party, kept her close by as a precaution, surprisingly had a good time with her in the meanwhile, and so forth.

Down to the very event that burdened him last Friday night.

Speaking the final memory aloud made the fox slightly cringe. His mom said nothing for a few moments, the short silence causing a lump to form at the base of his throat until she resounded with a closed-mouthed giggle.

“So this is what’s gotten you so high-strung? A kiss?” She asked curiously, her calm response making his tense posture loosen a smidge. “You’ve never called me to talk about girl-issues before. I was starting to think I’d never see the day,” she lightly teased.

Nick groaned. “Because you know I’m not really the mushy, overly-romantic type.”

“Ha, well you just might be if this bunny’s gotten you into a tizz. So…” And there came the question. “Do you like her at all?”

“Like her?” Nick scoffed softly, his nose crinkled. “No, I don’t. I mean, yeah, I won’t deny that she’s attractive, and yeah, maybe I teased her like dumb preschool kits do when they’ve got a crush. But we’re not _like_ _that_ , at all, and like I said earlier I’m really not the romantic type. Not that romance is lame. I guess it’s just not my thing or whatever—“

“Your rambling, pup.” His mother knew her son better than most, if not all, mammals. She knew he needed some sincere guidance by the rate of his rambles alone. “We’ve talked about this sort of thing before, but it’s worth mentioning again now that you’re older, and well, probably experiencing it.” She took a moment to gather her thoughts before continuing. “We foxes are an affectionate species. We get possessive over our loved ones and form bonds that are hard to break.”

Nick stopped his pacing and sat on the edge of his bed again. “I get that. But how does me being a fox explain why I’ve been acting so… _so_ …” Nick searched for the right word.

“So strangely possessive and suddenly sweet on a mammal you hardly know?” She finished in a wise tone, the words alone making his ears droop and the skin underneath his face fur swarm. 

“W-well, when you put it that way…” The blushing fox nervously laughed. It didn’t occur to him until now that his behavior towards Judy underneath his bravado and attitude was somewhat territorial, even affectionate. Perhaps his mother was onto something.

“You know me. I call things like I see them,” she spoke effortlessly, gentle on her approach on the topic she knew was sensitive to him. “And the way I see it, looks like those initial mate-seeking tendencies are kicking in. If there’s any earnest physical attraction and chemistry between you two, it could explain why you’re feeling this way.”

Nick listened intently, his brows furrowed. “We usually don’t get along. I wouldn’t exactly call that chemistry.”

“Bad chemistry is still chemistry, pup,” she chimed easily. “Do you think your father and I hit it off right off when we first met? Do I have to tell you _the story_ again?”

“Oh no, please spare me. You’ve told me _the story_ a billion times,” he replied amusingly with a slow shake of his head, which ushered a quiet chuckle from her. Before his parents became legally separated, according to her story telling, the two were head-over-heels in love. Not something he ever recalled personally, since they were apart by the time he learned to waddle. “I’m not sure how two mammals who swore they hated each other’s guts could one day get married. But hey, if it didn’t happen I wouldn’t be here so, _woohoo_ right?”

She laughed. “Yup, woohoo indeed. Although things started a bit patchy between your father and I… we both put our differences aside for the sake of making our jobs at the factory go smoothly, and surprisingly made a deep connection. The rest was history.” She hummed as she silently reminisced. “Just know that these feelings you’re having aren’t unnatural- it happens to most boys your age that haven’t found a mate yet. In the winter, sometimes those feelings intensify, and _oh boy_ do I remember one day in December when your father-”

“It gets worse in the winter? _Great_ ,” he moaned sarcastically, unintentionally cutting her off as he was astounded by the information. “Uh, is there any way repress these dumb feelings? Move on with my miserable life? What if I don’t want a mate?”

She tutted the way she did when she reminded him to mind his tone. “Although tods get these territorial feelings, it doesn’t mean they have to pursue a romance. Strong friendships are born from these protective tendencies too. How about you get to know her a little, see where that takes you?”

Nick exasperatedly fell back onto his bed with a bounce, his phone by his ear. “ _Be friends?_ ” The younger red fox crossed a leg over his knee as his eyes randomly trailed over the ceiling, his unoccupied arm folded under his head. “I’m positive I’m her _least favorite_ mammal in all of Zootopia. Don’t get me wrong. It’s probably my fault we aren’t exactly buddy-buddy, I totally accept that. But I’m not so sure any of that can be fixed now. In fact, I’m _sure_ of it.”

“Well…” His mother thoughtfully replied. “Maybe it isn’t as unfixable as you think. Have you tried apologizing to her?” The question she posed was simple, logical even, but still caught him off-guard as his brows arched.

“I really should. Actually, I’ve been planning to. But…”

“But?”

Nick refrained from sighing. He didn’t want to admit to his mother that he caved into an old habit she absolutely detested- money thieving, which he used to do on the streets as an angsty kit trying to fit in with whatever gang took him under their wing. Taking a fraction of Judy’s money for himself was an action done out of transient spite, an action he immediately regretted. It sourly reminded him of the very last time he committed the crime years ago, when he vowed he’d start a better life for himself after that run-in with a mob.

It made a shred of him feel that being saved by that graduate fox was all for nothing- that maybe, at heart, he was destined to become a criminal. Follow his father’s footsteps. Footsteps that undoubtedly lead to a prison cell.

“I just…” Nick closed his eyes. “I keep backing out. Because I have this feeling that she won’t accept an apology from me. No matter how earnest it is. I mean, I probably don’t deserve it. I think I’ll just make an ass out of myself.”

“Hey, I know plenty of great donkeys,” she joked, causing Nick to crack a small smile. “Don’t be so hard on yourself. I don’t think I’m getting the full story here but… here are my two-cents. If she doesn’t want to be your friend, well then, that’s that I suppose. If you both don’t interact that means no more chemistry, which means no more weird feelings. Life’s back to normal for you.” She concluded simply.

He nodded as he listened, silently considering that alternative ending. “And… if she accepts my apology by some miraculous chance? What happens then, o’ wise psychic mom?”

“Well,” his mother chuckled. “That’s up to the both of you.”

 

.o0o.

 

It seemed so long ago now, that he had burdened her with his teasing, back-handed flirting, and twisted humor. No mention of that pet name she swore she detested, no texts, not even acknowledgement at campus spaces they both coincidentally attended.

One instance during the week, she spotted Nick sitting with his frat in the cafeteria dining hall. That time was particularly awkward, since they made vague eye contact across the dining room for a moment before she glanced away, continuing her chat with her pals and forcing a laugh at a joke she didn’t hear all the way through.

Oddly enough, it felt like they were strangers again, and Judy just couldn’t shake off the reservations she had about it. Especially since the bunny and fox eventually came to enjoy one another’s company at the frat party. Their uncanny agreement on sticking together through the mad house for the sake of keeping her safe took a surprisingly positive turn.

From suspicion to comfort, hesitance to laughter.

From innocent play to an unsuspecting brush of tongues.

Even in class, when he did attend, he was quiet and didn’t entertain any of the girls that squealed his name when he entered, which was unlike him. And again, he’d take the seat all the way at the end of the lecture hall. Then he’d leave in an instant after class was dismissed.

Sometimes Judy would catch glimpses of him walking with that dorky strut throughout campus with other large predators while she enjoyed a lunch outside or walked to an evening PL meeting.

For some weird reason, maybe subconsciously, she casually looked around her surroundings for him when she absent-mindedly trailed off mid-conversation or strolled alone. Most of the time her glances came up empty handed, and she questioned why she even tried searching for him in the first place.

Since that fateful night at the frat party, a week’s time flew by.

Amid the confusion in regards to a fox, Judy’s invitations for hang outs and parties came to a halt, perhaps because the fall semester at ZU was starting to pick up for its students. The lack of socializing didn’t necessarily bother the bunny, especially after last week’s procrastination and manic-mode studying made her realize she didn’t want to suffer a similar fate again.

After that experience, Judy acknowledged critically important points about surviving academia and wrote them on a sticky note in her planner as a reminder:

 

_No matter how brilliant you think you are, don’t overestimate your abilities._

_Don’t procrastinate. Brushing work off to the last second is a mistake. Seriously, don’t do it._

_And last but not least, study. Buckle down and get it done! You’ll be thankful later._

 

By the following Monday, the first Monday of September, Judy was definitely anxious to see if her all-nighter had miraculously paid off.

Dr. Castor promised she would have graded all of the examination booklets in just a week since the exam was given. After lecture came to a close the beaver professor arranged the tests in alphabetical stacks at the front table, where students gathered around to collect their exams almost hastily.

Sounds of disappointed sighs and mutters filled the air with only a few elated cheers to match. Once they had their booklets, mammals started making their way out of the lecture hall, chatting and comparing their scores as they went.

Judy patiently made her way to the table after the crowd retreated, her paws going numb as she flipped through a now-slightly jumbled ‘H’ stack, rummaging through it for ‘Hopps.’

 

_Hamsley, Horseman, Harrierson, Highlands…_

 

Then finally.

 

_Hopps._

 

She took up the graded exam and turned it over slowly to reveal the score, holding her breath.

 

Shock filled her as she witnessed the grade scribbled in red ink over her name:

 

  _70._

 

Her stomach sank.

 

_That’s… the lowest exam grade I’ve ever gotten._

 

Although it was certainly a passing score, it was a C+ grade at best, and that didn’t sit well with the overachieving bunny that normally aced all of her tests back in high school. Without a doubt she knew her week-long procrastination was to blame, and she exhaled in her disappointment.

“Dr. Castor?” The bunny approached the stout professor overseeing the crowded table.

The beaver acknowledged her with a polite smile. “Yes, Ms. Hopps?”

“What was the average score on the exam, if you don’t mind me asking? And the score range?” She asked the question with a lump in her throat she just couldn’t swallow.

“The average was, ah, let me see.” The beaver put on the glasses hanging by a necklace around her neck and opened a thick binder full of score records.

As the beaver skimmed the pages, Nick had just gotten to the table once the crowd of students thinned out. He found his exam booklet in the ‘W’ pile, the look on his face hardly transparent once he regarded the grade. That blank expression shifted however, once he recognized Judy stood patiently in front of the professor with droopy ears. He folded the thick booklet twice and stuffed it deep into his jacket pocket as he lingered to curiously listen.

“The average was a 65. The high score was a 98. The low was a 42.” The professor closed the binder and regarded Judy, lifting the glasses over her eyes. “Also, I don’t curve my tests. These scores are raw scores. Did you have any other questions for me?”

So she did above average. _That’s good news, right?_ “No, that was all. Thank you, Dr. Castor.” The bunny smiled weakly before heading to the doors with her eyes on the floor.

The rabbit was so distraught, she didn’t realize she had just walked by the fox standing by the table. He hesitated for a moment, watching her push through the double doors before finally pursuing her out of the classroom.

Maybe it was foolish for her eyes to start stinging with tears she refused to let fall, the test booklet held tensely in her paws with the unsatisfactory score hidden from sight.

 

The fox didn’t know what possessed him when he cleared his throat to address the obviously low-spirited bunny, matching her lame stride as his eyes darted and mind raced for something, _anything_ , to say.

 

“So, uh.” Nick nervously began. “How’d you do?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello peeps! Hope May has been kind to you all. 
> 
> This chapter brings our favorite duo into new territory. And of course, if you couldn’t tell by now, this story is an angsty one. As much as a full-on fluffy romance is great, my story doesn’t start that way. As I mentioned briefly several chapters ago, there’s a frenemy arc in the beginning, and (maybe?) we are nearing the end of it. There will be good times and fluff eventually, as the plot advances, which means angst will take a back seat. I’ll try my best to balance that out.
> 
> I think we’ve explored some mature/darker themes of stereotypical college life mostly so far. It’s only fair to include the lighter/positive aspects too! As well as ‘some lessons learned’ as our slowly maturing Nick and Judy begin figuring things out.
> 
> As for my update schedule, it may become bi-weekly or monthly, depending on how busy I am. 
> 
> Til next time. Thanks for the read!


	15. Two of Cups

Judy Hopps, the esteemed valedictorian of her senior class at Bunnyburrow High, the straight-A streak keeper since her kindergarten days, the bunny that found purpose in her every achievement no matter how small, nearly bombed her first college exam.

It was clear then, why she felt so absolutely pathetic for all the pain-staking effort she put into studying (albeit it being last minute in a feverishly caffeinated all-nighter). Despite her irresponsible predicament she defied the odds by managing to score above average, but that alone was not satisfactory enough for the over-achiever.

 

Before attending ZU she _always_ did above average, making this ‘technically’ passing grade a stinging personal failure.

 

With her head down and ears flat against her back, the bunny slowly trotted towards the lobby exit, eyes burning as she clutched her exam booklet against her chest. Even the lively whirlwind of students passing the halls accompanied by the buzz of their cheerful voices couldn’t bring her out of her wallowing trance.

A gangly giraffe, the same mammal that happened to spot Judy for a cup of Snarlbucks coffee some weeks ago, saw her in the hall and chirped a giddy ‘hello’ after recognizing the rabbit. If at her typical level of cheeriness she would have definitely greeted the giraffe with a genuine grin before carrying on to her next class in a near-skipping stride.

But in her current state she could barely bring herself to acknowledge it, nonetheless respond, being too absorbed by the news of her mediocre grade to socially engage at all.

 

It seemed, just briefly, that no one could break her pity-spell.

 

Until someone’s voice in particular seemed to do the trick.

 

“So, uh.”

 

Judy froze at the sound of that familiar voice, her head snapping upwards and her breath hitching slightly.

 

Nick approached her with his paws fidgeting in his pockets. _"…_ How'd you do? _"_

 

The two stood there in front of the lecture hall, her back to him as she tried to quickly wrestle back feelings of not just personal disappointment, but surprise as well— for whatever reason Nick had finally decided to acknowledge her existence again.

Although his sudden confrontation was a strangely pleasant occurrence, his timing wasn’t exactly great.

“Oh, _uhm_.” Somehow the bunny found the willpower to swallow the emotions down like a sour batch of Hopps-made cough syrups, and slowly turned to acknowledge the fox standing behind her. Violet eyes belonging to the doe widened as they met the vulpine pair staring back.

Even Nick himself, being a stranger to the rabbit still, could recognize the overwhelming sadness the bunny tried to conceal with a stubbornly neutral expression; it was an expression that was easily betrayed by her tensely pressed lips and erratically twitching nose. If he was honest, he noted an unfamiliar gleam in her eyes that made him frown. “You doing alright?”

His question made Judy realize that her attempt to seem natural must have looked obviously forced. In an instant she blinked away the tears that welled in her eyes, forced her ears upright, and raised her chin high with all the might that she could muster. “I…” She glanced aside. “I’m fine. And as for the test… I really don’t want to talk about it.”

Nick’s ears drooped as he watched her turn away and walk ahead until she broke outside of the Wolfhartt building, her ears and shoulders visibly sinking in the space between the doors before they shut closed.

For just two seconds Nick silently deliberated until he swore beneath his breath and followed after her again.

Once outside he was abruptly met by a buffalo who unintentionally knocked into him, an impact that caused the fox to stumble slightly backwards and wince. The burly mammal glanced aside with a distasteful look and grunted in a low voice. “ _Watch it ya punk!_ ”

Then the larger mammal recognized just _who_ he bumped into, and immediately gasped before rampantly apologizing.

_“I’m sorry bro, I didn’t see you there! I’m new here so, cut me some slack, yeah…?”_

As Nick minded his shoulder with a mindless rub, he quickly spotted the bunny through the crowd of hurrying students. His eyes honed in on her figure as it marched swiftly towards a wooden bench on the lawn just ahead. “ _Heh_. Don’t worry about it, tough guy.”

With pursed lips the fox excused himself through the aisle of striding mammals, being the only one countering their flow with a perpendicular strut. Swiftly he dodged his way to the other side of the path and approached the bench where Judy perched.

Then he sat down beside her, causing the rabbit to glance up at him questionably.

“Look. If you want to ask me for my Criminal Justice score just so you could tease me about it, you should know I’m not exactly in the mood to joke around,” she muttered, her sharp words out of reasonable distrust that still lingered for the fox. In contrast however her body language relaxed, her hold on the booklet loosening.

“Tease you? Nope, rest assured.” Nick sat forward, elbows on his knees. “That’s not my intention here at all.”

She arched a brow. “Really?”

He turned to look at her and nodded. “Really.”

The rabbit eyed him for a moment but the edge of his maw did not curl like she expected, causing the harshness in her voice to lessen to skepticism. “Then what?” A sniffle escaped her before she could help it, an embarrassing sound that made her bite her lower lip.

He paused before answering her immediately. “Well, I _was_ going to make casual chit-chat, try to catch up. But you look upset, so for now I guess I’ll just say…” His eyes traveled to the exam she held before he continued. “…you shouldn’t let a silly test get you down like that.”

His words were spoken with no hint of sarcasm in them. It made the rabbit blink in disbelief.

Nick tore his eyes from her direction and stared off to the thinning crowd of students rushing along the campus paths. “I mean yeah, maybe you flunked. Use that to make you try harder next time, find a better way to study and ace the second time around. Just don’t beat yourself up.”

Judy exhaled at his surprisingly reassuring words, a fraction of the tension in her body now softening. “I appreciate the advice, but it isn’t that simple,” she murmured, quickly turning her face away to wipe a sole tear that managed to escape her left eye with a finger.

The fox hummed inquisitively. “Why’s that?”

“Because...” Judy began with a quiet sigh, rolling the booklet and tucking it into her bag with a lackluster motion. “When you’re used to being at the top of your class, you uh, _y’know_ , start to get touchy about these sort of things.” Her eyes fell to her lap as she mumbled somewhat mindlessly. “Everyone at home is rooting for you, expects you to keep up the good work. Heck- _even you_ expect to keep it up. But if you don’t?” Judy smiled bitterly. “You basically start to feel… well…”

“Judged? Worthless? Dumb?” Nick interjected easily without missing a beat.

Judy looked up at him and nodded hesitantly, her ears suddenly tall. “Actually… yeah. How’d you kn-”

“Listen Carrots. You’re putting _way_ too much weight on academics.” The fox sat upright and crossed an ankle over his knee, his fingers interlaced as they supported the back of his head with his elbows skyward. “While yeah, thinking like that makes acing an exam probably feel like you’re on cloud nine. But the moment those grades plummet?” He scoffed softly. “I bet it feels like the world’s gonna end.”

Judy gave a bittersweet laugh. “Ugh. It does.”

“And what kind of way to get through college is that, anyway? I mean, measuring your self-worth over how well you answer a bunch of questions on paper? That’s no way to live.” Nick spoke smoothly as he shrugged, his eyes trailing over the divide in front of them where cobblestone met grass. “Wanna know the best way to prove to yourself that you’re a success?” His question made the doe nod with a reserved eagerness, and so the fox replied. “The answer’s simple. _Just try your damned best_ , and don’t obsess on _being_ _perfect_.” His tail curled neatly beside him as he continued. “It’s probably easier said than done. But hey, I thought you needed to hear it.”

As she listened to his surprisingly wise words, Judy felt tears pool in her eyes until she quietly dabbed them away with the end of her turtle-neck sweater.

His words did alleviate her self-afflicted shame by several degrees. And instead of invalidating her feelings, they assured her that maybe she _was_ just being a little too hard on herself.

Judy couldn’t stand when her tears dampened the fur on her cheeks. If she let those tears freely fall, those resulting matted hairs were enough for others to know that she obviously cried. “Thanks, Slick... I really did need to hear that.”

Nick smiled, glancing away from the nearly empty campus paths to peer down at the rabbit sitting beside him. Before he could acknowledge her quiet mumble of gratitude, he stopped himself short after catching a glimpse of her crying into her turtle-neck.

There were a few seconds of silence between them despite a few hushed sniffles from the bunny. His tail strangely twitched in her direction but he restrained from moving it, his form becoming rigid as he let her have a moment to gather herself. His shoulders relaxed once he watched her take a deep breath and dry her eyes.

As the sun appeared from behind the clouds and beamed onto the two natural enemies sitting on the campus bench, Nick noticed the healing patch of skin on her neck that subtly revealed itself when she tugged the neck of her sweater.

The sight of the vulnerable bunny hiding her wounds with a turtle-neck in the heat of summer, just as she painfully hid her emotions from the public eye, made the fox realize just _how_ _much_ strength she possessed to always seem so upbeat.

It was a charade that was impossible to keep up forever, so he didn’t blame her one bit for the sudden emotional release.

Judy, on the other-paw, was just grateful that the fox didn’t use her moment of vulnerability to poke fun at her. “Sorry about that. Gosh, I got carried away there. Hah.” She shook her head. “Back to reality, Judy.”

“Hey. If it makes you feel any better, I’ll willingly admit that I’m _totally_ an ugly crier. Unlike yourself.” Nick teased half-heartedly. “Count that as a blessing.”

Judy huffed amusingly at the thought. “Huh. So does that mean the king of ZU has a soft side after all?”

The fox shrugged coolly. “Funny you call me that, but that name’s kind of died out,” he replied, sharp teeth in full display as he grinned. “Your nickname, however… is still very much alive and kicking. And I’m kind of jealous.”

“Oh, _pshh_ , you mean ‘almighty Judy Hopps’? Or ‘Hornstein bunny’? Those silly things?” She nearly snorted.

Nick rocked his head side to side in a contemplative way, never taking his eyes off of her. “Silly? Eh, it kinda is if we’re being honest here. But false? No, not one bit.” Judy watched him almost with uncertainty, unsure if he was being utterly sarcastic or genuine, although she regarded his words with a small smile. “So that makes me wonder, is a little test all it takes to get _the almighty Carrots_ down?”

As he asked the question, Judy rolled her eyes in amusement, looking down at the grass beneath her dangling feet. “Well…”

“Let me help you out there. Get your confidence back up.” He winked. “The answer’s _fuck no_.”

That was it. She broke out into a geeky smile.

Maybe it _was_ silly to take a test score to heart, especially a passing test score that was above average.

Nicholas Wilde was absolutely right.

 

_It takes a lot more…_

 

_…to get the almighty Judy Hopps down._

 

She met his eyes eventually and confidently nodded, that brilliant smile he knew well and even detested once overcoming her muzzle. “Y’know what? _Yeah_ \- you’re right… it’s just a silly test. And it was just my first one. So… _what’s the big deal, right?_ I’ll just double down for when the next test comes around somehow! Knock it right out of the park!” She sat tall as she gave the air a delighted swing with her fist.

“Ha, that’s the spirit!” He laughed.

“ _Yeah!_ ” Judy cheered, clasping her paws together on her lap. “By the way I… really appreciate you coming to talk to me, Nick.” She never imagined the day she’d thank him for a pep talk, of all things. _Why did the fox act like he was a concerned friend after a week of avoidance?_ It was weird. A good kind of weird.

“It’s no problem-o, Carrots. I’m glad I did.” He returned her smile and slouched back, elbows hanging off the back of the bench.

They two suddenly flinched when the campus’ clock tower sounded, chiming three times slowly as its echo filled the campus grounds. Judy glanced a bit frantically at her cell phone to note the time.

 

9:00 am.

 

“Are you not going to class?” His question made her cross her arms thoughtfully.

“Psych 101? Not today, no. I’m not one to skip class but… I really just need some time to decompress.” She fiddled with one of the straps of her book bag as she spoke. “What about you, don’t you have class?”

Nick shrugged. “Nah. I mean, yeah. But I wasn’t planning on going.” That wasn’t necessarily true, he knew. He still had that Creative Writing paper that had to be handed in as a hard-copy, but he figured it wouldn’t hurt to turn in half of the assignment late.

“Also, if you were wondering,” Judy began, fumbling with an ear draped over her shoulder. “I didn’t actually flunk the test. I just got a mediocre score, so… I guess took it _kiiinda_ hard?”

“ _Kinda?_ ” Nick nearly choked on a blurted laugh. “ _God damn_. I’d hate to be the teacher that handed you an F.” He snickered. “C’mon Carrots, you passed. So none of that mediocre-shmediocre stuff. _C’s get degrees_ , amirite?”

Judy rolled her eyes in amusement, also relaxing her back against the bench. “Truuue. But… _A’s and B’s succeed_.”

Nick chuckled. “That’s debatable.”

 

It seemed like things were going much more smoothly than he could’ve imagined.

 

Maybe Nick didn’t have much to worry so much about on how Judy would receive him after that ordeal at the Alpha party- it really felt as if their rough start was truly behind them.

 

But that didn’t mean it shouldn’t be addressed.

 

Although keeping things between them casually friendly would’ve been ideal, there were definitely some things he desperately needed to get off of his chest. And now, with them skipping class together, it was his opportunity to do so.

Nick made a long, almost exaggerated exhale. “You’re probably wondering why I’m talking to you in the first place.” Judy crossed her legs and looked over the fox curiously, seeing the restrained discomfort in his features.

“Honestly, I was,” she confirmed. Why did he stop her? _And why did he avoid her for a whole week’s time like she was the plague?_ “I’ll admit, you coming to speak to me was kind of random.”

“Well, it was because I wanted… to apologize.” The final word alone made the edges of his lips curl downward. But he had to say it.

Judy’s eyes widened slightly. “W-what?”

“I’m saying sorry for, uh, y’know…” Nick rubbed the space of fur between his ears, his green eyes darting to some distant tree standing in the middle of one of the lawns. “… _licking_ you. At the frat party. Among other terrible stuff done by, uh, yours truly.”

Judy never allowed her eyes to leave him as he made the nervous apology, completely baffled at the sight of a dark flush filling his ears. Although it was certainly a bit of a touchy subject for them both, she was surprised he had even brought it up, considering he wanted them both to pretend it never even happened.

“I just feel wrong about it. I know I haven’t been the…” He closed his eyes. What was the word? “…the _friendliest_ to you. Ahem.” He inhaled and exhaled sharply. “All in all, the kiss I gave you was completely uncalled for. The way I _treated_ you since you’ve been here has been completely uncalled for.” He finally opened his eyes to see her watching him and gave a small, slightly pained laugh. “So for all the trouble I gave you, I want you to know that I’m really sorry about it all. It probably wouldn’t be so far-fetched to think you still hate me. And frankly, I wouldn’t blame you if you did.”

Judy’s legs started to swing a little, her fingers intertwined on her lap as she took a long moment to consider the apology. “Hate is a… strong word.” She offered a little smile that made his drooping ears stand a little higher.

“ _That’s great to hear-_ “

“But,” the bunny smirked. “That doesn’t mean I outright forgive you.”

“…yet?” Nick offered an apologetic smile.

“Hmm. While _yes_ , you’ve undeniably been a downright jerk since the day I crossed paths with you, and you’ve somehow managed to pester me worse than all of my little siblings combined,” Judy tutted as she listed with her fingers, “You also have this other side to you. A side that’s willing to protect a mammal, give them a post-test pep talk, and rightfully apologize.”

 

He gave an admittedly handsome, hopeful grin.

 

Judy smirked. “So I’m willing to give you a chance, frat fox. Just one.”

 

Nick pumped his fist in a quiet cheer. “You have _no_ idea how relieved I am to hear you say that, fluff.”

 

“And as for the kiss,” Judy continued, timidly wringing the end of her sleeve. “I’ll admit that I… uh, may have consented it.” According to the unannounced stomach cramps that plagued her all of a sudden, she probably should’ve spared herself the sheer embarrassment of acknowledging that she indeed returned the lick. The only thing that could remedy the resulting awkwardness was belting a loud nervous laugh that only made the fox smirk to himself. “ _Haha! So don’t worry about it!_ It’s all behind us now, just like that hideous exam.”

He chuckled. “Amen to that.” His sight was filled with a bunny who looked very pleased by the apology judging by the genuine grin plastered on her muzzle. So far, operation-apologize turning out to be a shocking success. “So… that means we’re good now?”

She nodded warmly. “Yep. We’re good.”

 

_Had the temporary truce yielded…_

 

“Then…” The red fox slowly retracted a paw he hid in a jacket pocket.

 

_…to good will?_

 

“…you won’t kill me for giving this back to you, right?” He took out his wallet, a flimsy faux leather thing with worn edges, and pulled out a slightly worn hundred dollar bill.

 

_…or bad blood?_

 

.o0o.

 

Judy looked at the bill with confusion, tilting her head as her eyes darted between the predator wielding the money and the money itself. “What’s this?”

“It’s… yours.” Nick held his breath, avoiding her eyes. “The fake was, ah, actually only worth a hundred.”

She took the donation hesitantly as he muttered, a small gasp fluttering from her lips as the realization of what he had done finally sunk in.

Of course she was appalled.

Money-thieving was a blatant crime and wasn’t exactly a typical offense committed in the Burrows. A one-time, immature slip into his old pocket-picking habits because of his unchecked transgressions was definitely seen as some inexcusable wrongdoing based on the look in her eyes. “You _stole_ my money?”

He cringed at the tone of her voice, giving a weak smile. “Babysat it, technically.”

She scowled as she stuffed the bill back into her own wallet.

“You… look incredibly pissed,” he commented, making her flash him a sardonic look.

“Ooh, no.” Judy looked at him incredulously, her tone biting. “I’m not pissed. I’m _livid_.”

He shuffled uncomfortably in his seat, his tail finding his lap. “I don’t blame you. In fact, I’d be too. Although I’m tempted to say _it’s called a hustle sweetheart_ , I’d like to refrain from becoming quite literally a dead fox.” His comical attempt to get her to loosen up clearly failed, causing the apologetic smile he forced to fall.

Despite the fact he had the decency to apologize and return it, it was the very fact that he had stolen it in the first place that made her upset. Just when she thought she had made some surprising progress on trusting him, this knowledge made that progress falter yet again.

“How can I, or anyone, give you the benefit of the doubt after knowing you did this?” Judy asked the question in the midst of her frustration, her paws motioning as she spoke. “While _yeah_ , I really appreciated your apology today, and like I said I _was_ willing to give you a chance…” She glanced aside, her brows knit together as she spoke the next string of words. “But now… _how can I trust you?_ ”

“You have every right not to trust me.” Nick spoke low, his claws curling tufts of red fur on his tail. “Look. I won’t paint this picture prettier than it is. So I’ll be honest. I was—correction, _am_ a huge asshole that gets easily offended when someone out-hustles me. Which you did, and really well. Taking your money—“

“Stealing.” Judy amended, her nose crinkled.

“ _Stealing_ your money was just some… dumb, spur of the moment way to counter how you swindled me into a deal. It was just that— _dumb_ , and wrong. And maybe it’s hard to believe this but I sincerely regret doing that to you. I don’t steal money.” _Not anymore_ , he refrained to say. Nick finally sighed, looking up to catch a glimpse from the ticked off rabbit. “I am as sorry about it as I am an idiot.”

Judy mused over his words. “Why didn’t you give it back to me sooner?”

“I _really_ _did_ want to give it to you earlier than this. I just… kept missing out on every chance I got. And then _that thing_ happened at the frat party, and I didn’t know how to face you. It took me a whole week just to work up the damn courage to talk to you.” He grumbled the confession into a paw.

Judy thought for a moment before making to stand from the bench. “As much as I want to trust you, Nick, it’s just hard to _decipher_ you. Separate the good intentions from the bad. Figure out if you’re… the good mammal I think you might be.” She stuffed her wallet and phone into her bag as she paused for a moment. “It’s like… it’s like there’s _two_ of you. But they’re stuck in one fox, and I only really want to be friends with one of them.” She shook her head as she lifted the bag atop of the bench seat. “Although I’m glad you returned the cash, I’m just… not sure.”

Nick listened to her intently, aware of the way she struggled to form the words to gently let him know that, _no_ , forgiveness wasn’t automatically guaranteed to every mammal who crossed the line and blurted an apology.

For some reason perhaps born out of both affection and guilt, he was willing to cross that line again just to get to the other side. Her good side.

“I understand. You’re right.” Nick watched her zipper her bag with a frown, his tail limp over his lap. “But what if… what if I could make it up to you somehow? Even if it was in the smallest way?”

His offer took a moment to register in her mind, a mildly curious look reflecting in her features underneath the fury that still made her stomach sink with disappointment. “Nick, I don’t think another party invite is going to make it easier to trust you. And no, I don’t want pity money, in case that was what you were thinking.”

 

For a moment Judy faced away from him to loop her arms through her book bag straps. Once the sturdy bag hung from both of her shoulders, she turned to him and continued to talk. “Maybe it’s best we…”

 

Once she turned to face him fully, he revealed the recklessly pleated exam booklet from his jacket pocket. As he undid the folds and revealed the front, her eyes widened.

 

There was a 98 scribbled in red ink on the top left corner of his test.

 

Judy was suddenly speechless.

 

Her eyes blinked several times before looking over at the fox that held the graded booklet, checking to see if he wore that annoying shit-eating grin he most definitely wore on every occasion he could. But no such grin curled over his muzzle.

 

To any sane mammal that was mildly aware of the fox’s class attendance and overall reputation, _it just didn’t make any sense_ that he could get such a high mark _._ Every time she had seen him outside of class, he was goofing off with his frat or inebriated at a party, and if the rumors about him were true he was probably throat-deep in his pseudo-romantic conquests every _other_ time.

“But…” Judy nearly stuttered. “ _How?_ ”

“I’m just... decent at studying.” He admitted in a hushed volume. “ _Aaaand_ I kind of have a thing for reading.” The fox admitted, taking a stand from the bench. “This… stays between us.”

“ _Sweet cheese and crackers_.” She blurted before standing directly over him to take a personal look at the test in his paws, which he kindly allowed her to inspect closely.

It seemed to the bunny that Nick indeed had the capacity to care for class, nonetheless get a higher score than her, even though that capacity was hidden. It was a revelation that needed a moment to process.

“I mean- _wow_.” She breathlessly laughed in her disbelief. “When I spoke to Dr. Castor after class today, she told me the high score was a 98. That must mean… you got the highest grade out of the _entire_ class.” Judy began to tap her foot as she rambled on. “The thing is you’ve barely made it to class this semester so far and we’re only three weeks in. So it just doesn’t… it _doesn’t add up_. Did you...?”

“Cheat?” He finished her logical question, no malice in his voice as he rolled the booklet, and stuffed it back into his pocket. “Look Carrots, don’t take this to heart, but… if I _did_ cheat, which I certainly _didn’t_ ,” Nick emphasized, “I wouldn’t show my fake-test to someone that’d probably threaten to rat me out the first chance they’d get to strike some sort of deal. It’s something you _kind_ _of_ have a history of doing. No offense.”

“Oh.”

Although his words didn’t intend to wound her, he certainly had a point, one that made her feel a bit shameful. In her own mind, Judy felt like her history of threatening to rat on him wasn’t at all as cruel as his shenanigans, but that hardly excused her own actions.

With his unimpressive student record and Alpha Preda jacket at her disposal in the past, she leveraged the fox for access to exclusive parties and hang outs, jeopardizing his standing with both the university and his fraternity.

Judy didn’t think of those vengeful actions as her quite literally _using him_. But it did very much seem that way.

Suddenly, her previous tactics to bargain and blackmail him for the sake of publicity seemed quite pointless, immature, and extreme.

“Well, when you put it that way,” she laughed awkwardly, rubbing her arm with a fidgety paw. “I guess you have a point. I’ve been treating you like a jerk too, huh?” Judy tore her gaze from her feet to meet his emerald eyes. “I think I owe you an apology too, for, y’know… being a _blackmailing, vengeance-seeking, publicity-obsessed_ opportunist. It’s… not exactly a good look.”

Nick’s eyes widened slightly at her unexpected admission. “You don’t have to apologize Carrots, really. While yeah, it’s not exactly ‘ _a good look_ ’ like you’ve put it, I basically deserved it right? So no hard feelings from me.”

Judy shook her head in her persistence. “It’s the right thing to do, Nick. So, here it goes…” Her expression was modest as she inhaled deeply and continued. “I, Judy Hopps, am completely and sincerely sorry for taking advantage of you, Nick Wilde, and I won’t do it again. So don’t feel obliged to invite me to anymore exclusive parties.”

The rabbit politely beamed up at him, her words making him feel humored and oddly fuzzy inside.

“I feel like you’re reading me a wedding vow,” he teased, his humor being a decent buffer for how tense the air had felt just minutes ago. “But thanks, fluff. It means a lot.”

Judy responded with a small huff, one that relented into a small smile. “Since it’s obvious we’ve both been a couple of jerks from the start, I’ll definitely consider what you were trying to suggest earlier.”

“Oh yeah, that. Me trying to make it up to you. Okay… hear me out.” Nick offered a coy grin as he proposed something that, to him, was the very least he could do. “So maybe you can’t trust me as a friend, that’s pretty understandable. But maybe you can trust me as… your personal study guide?”

“My personal study guide?” Judy repeated the words curiously, slightly confused at what he was getting at. “You mean, be my tutor?”

He shrugged. “Basically. Sounds nerdier when you say it that way, though.”

“Hmm.” She stroked her chin thoughtfully as she paced the spot in front of him. “I’ll admit that I’d like to know just how you got that score. If I’m getting what you’re saying, we won’t necessarily have to be anything more than study partners, so… _maybe_ I’m willing to entertain this suggestion of yours.”

“Sweet.” At this point his tail was basically sweeping the grass next to his feet with subdued excitement. “We’ll be study partners, keep this whole tutoring thing on the down-low, and there won’t be any hard feelings between us here on out… how’s that sound?”

Judy hummed in thought, tapping her cheek with a fluffed finger. “That depends. Can you _for sure_ help me ace my next test? I can’t waste time on a method that can’t promise results.” Her tone was playful, even edging on devious, and it made him chuckle.

“Ace the test? _Please_. How about I help get you an A in the course instead?” He smirked, albeit a bit cockily, as he assured her of the possibility. The suggestion alone made her expression brighten up and her small tuft of a tail dance enthusiastically behind her.

“I think… I like the sound of that,” Judy nearly chirped, suddenly enchanted by the thought of his proposition. “Grudge-less, _civil_ study partners, huh?” _Not friends, not enemies._ Just some vague in-between that would hopefully earn a fox a bunny’s trust, and a bunny a high course grade, if all went according to plan.

“That would make us officially even then.” He stood from the bench, now taller than the rabbit that previously stood at eye-level while he sat.

“Our final deal.” Judy nodded, extending a small grey paw ahead of her as an offer to shake on the terms of their secret agreement. It was an awfully formal thing to do, an awfully _Jack-Savage-thing_ to do, but it was the perfect gesture to demonstrated that this new relationship would be strictly professional.

“Hah, let’s hope it’s the last one.” Nick took a hold of her offer with his free paw and gave it a firm shake. “So…” He raised an inquisitive brow as they awkwardly released paws. “Wanna put the rest of this skipped class period to good use?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And goodwill prevails! I really enjoyed writing positivity and words of support between them, instead of their usual back-and-forth tongue lashing. This chap is a bit of a roller coaster ride of emotional progress between the main characters, but hopefully the scales have been evened out. I'll admit it was difficult to do with the topics at hand, but I wanted them to have realistic approaches to how apologies are accepted and dealt with. A "We-aren't-exactly-friends-but-I'll-be-your-study-pupil" sort of deal seemed to be a decent way for the two to continue interacting in a non-hostile way. And who knows where that'll take them?
> 
> Thanks for the read!


	16. Our Secret Place

It didn't take a genius to figure out that Judy's most preferable way to make use of a skipped class period would be to get a leg up on some one-on-one tutoring with none other than the top student in the class.

It was almost comical in a way, just how the tables had turned and for once she wasn't the top student offering the tutoring in the scenario.

Instead she was the one accepting the help, and from the one mammal she least suspected to give it.

Not that she'd complain.

The small bunny fumbled slightly with her paws once retreating from their shake, beaming up at the fox that stood confidently over her. "Well… lead the way. We've got thirty minutes before I've got class."

"Wait a sec, before we go," Nick murmured as he glanced around them apprehensively. "You and I agreed on keeping this low-key. That means we move fast and avoid drawing attention to ourselves. Sound good?"

"Oh, yeah. Right. Understood." Judy nodded, knowing it was probably for the best for herself as well, considering any hint of the two being caught together beyond obligatory limits was bound to make social headlines.

Not to mention that most of her close friends were opposed to the fraternity as a whole, including her entire freshman building who showered her with constant praise for besting the frat fox and getting them into The Jungle. The small rabbit didn't want to imagine how her roommate, of all mammals, would react to the news of her willingly cooperating with an Alpha Preda member. "I guess that means the library isn't exactly our best bet, huh?"

Nick agreed with a small, humorous huff. "I've got a spot in mind that we can crouch at. If you don't mind crouching, that is. In  _dirt_."

"Pshh." Judy swatted the air dismissively. "A little dirt doesn't bother me. I was literally  _raised_  in dirt. So no big deal."

"Great." He chuckled. "Then you'll be real comfy. C'mon." He waved at her to follow after him as he began to march away from the lawn bench.

It was a little startling how quick his stride was, although it was a pace she had no difficulty keeping up with. They jogged over the grass towards the empty campus paths, dodged windows and peeked around the bends of building corners before proceeding.

The rabbit thought all of this effort was complete overkill, but she refrained from doubting his paranoia as a crowd of sorority girls walked towards them from a perpendicular path in a storm of hushed giggles.

She accidently bumped right into the fox who froze in his strut at the sight of the approaching girls, colliding into his back with a muffled ' _oof_.'

He took the brunt of her collision well, barely stumbling as he flashed a forced smile at the ladies making their way ahead of him.

"Stay behind me and don't make a sound," Nick whispered rigidly over his shoulder to Judy, closing the gap between his legs in an awkwardly stiff stance.

Judy froze still, standing with her hips glued together and her back to his, striving to hide herself perfectly behind his shape.

" _Ohh, hey, look who it is!"_

" _Well shit, speak of the devil!"_

The bunny's eyes widened as the voices neared, one voice in particular she thought she recognized from the abundance of random friends she managed to make so far in the semester.

In her sneaky curiosity she tried to peek beyond Nick's side to get herself a cheap glimpse.

" _Looking cute as ever, Wilde! What's up?"_ A curvy antelope ahead of him flirted, accompanied by a smirking raccoon and a blushing snow leopard.

"Nothing but sky from what I can tell," he greeted with a wink, smiling as naturally as he could. "I'd love to chat with you three, but you all kinda caught me at a bad time…"

The fox sensed some movement from behind him, a shift that made his emerald eyes widen and his smile flatten into a darkly pressed line. He instinctively looked down at his side to see the source of the slight motion, catching the eyes of a peeking bunny looking from beyond her hiding spot.

His drifted attention made the sorority girls follow his gaze, their eyebrows asymmetrically arching with confusion when they saw nothing there.

This was because the red fox swiftly maneuvered his tail around the stubbornly curious rabbit's middle to lift her up and secure her against his back.

"Like I was saying—"

Taken by surprise, Judy vocalized her response to his action with a loud gasp. The sharp, fluttery intake of air clearly sounded like it was from a smaller animal, reminiscent of a mouse's squeak or a fox kit's hiccup, much less from a young adult fox. The not-so masculine-sounding gasp made the girls standing in front of him glance around with strange expressions.

Recognizing her noisy blunder, the fox brought a pounded a fist to his chest and forced a series of coughs out to distract the sorority members from the origin of the sound.

" _Geez. You alright there?"_

During his faux hacking episode, everytremor radiating from his ribcage was definitely felt by the rabbit against him, who clutched onto his tail and bowed her head slightly to decrease her chances of whiplash.

" _Not sure if he needs a good pat on the back or the Heimlick maneuver…"_

"N-no, I'm all good!" Nick assured in raspy voice, flashing his teeth in a weak smile. "If only this pesky cough could  _stay hidden_." He emphasized the last two words briefly as he tugged at his white jacket collar. Judy got the message, pouting to herself in a moment of definite stubbornness, despite mentally conceding that she nearly broke the terms of their final deal. "Wouldn't want to spread this to you ladies, unless catching random coughing fits happens to be on your bucket lists."

" _Haha yeah no, I pass."_

" _Are you coming down with something?"_

Nick chuckled awkwardly. "They don't call it flu season for nothin', am I right?"

From her newly stable position within the curl of his flexible tail, the bunny's feet were hovering a few inches from the pavement. She lifted her knees slightly to keep her legs out of sight, essentially curling herself into the smallest shape she could with her back against the fox. It wasn't the most comfortable position, but at least his tail was forgivingly soft. The brownish-red appendage was likely most, if not more, than her total height, its volume-rich fur cushioning her on all sides. Judy was almost tempted to pet it.

" _Good thing I'm vaccinated then."_ One of the girls snickered shyly. _"So, uhm, can I get a hug?"_

Judy's eyes widened as she felt the fox stumble back a few steps, his tail coiling a little tighter around her middle in a way that made her chest heave.

"Uh, no hugs for me today." He nervously protested with his paws raised in surrender. "I really suck at hugs. It'd be a crime to put down 'huggable' on my resume."

" _Aw c'mon,"_ she persisted playfully. _"I don't bite!"_

Nick quickly thought of the best excuse he could in the spur of the moment and just rolled with it. "Uh… it's just that I… haven't showered in  _weeks_." He nodded. "Y'see, I'm building up my musk as a natural deterrent from the assholes I encounter on a daily basis. Get any closer and I can't guarantee that you won't lose consciousness."

" _Uh..."_ The sorority girl hesitantly stepped back from the fox, withdrawing her outstretched arms.

" _What the fuck?"_

" _That's… concerning?"_

"Yeah." Nick bluffed with the straightest face he could muster. "Too dangerous for hugs, that's for sure."

Judy swore she nearly broke her face at how hard she was smiling behind her small paws that tried to muffle any inklings of laughter trying to creep out.

" _I bet you still smell better than half the football team."_ One of the girls complimented in good humor. " _Anyway. Wanna join us for lunch?"_

"Thanks, but no thanks ladies." Nick smoothly declined with an apologetic smile. "I appreciate the invite but I've got plans. Real important stuff. But hey, enjoy lunch for me!"  _Cue finger guns_. "Heard those new cicada burgers are delicious."

He walked around them, his front facing them at all times as he showcased his very best vulpine smile. Disappointed tongues clicks filled the air and once the girls sighed their overly dramatic farewells, the tail around Judy's stomach loosened and gently lowered her, allowing her to relocate her footing on the ground.

"Nice tail reflexes. We're lucky there was no once behind us during that whole fiasco," Judy whispered amusingly, stretching her limbs. "And that excuse you gave?  _Holy cow_ , I thought I was going to give us away by bursting out laughing."

"I know," Nick whispered low, his eyes darting around them. "I felt you giggling. Made my tail all ticklish. It wasn't a pleasant sensation."

"I think if anyone should be talking about unpleasant sensations, it should be me," she quietly rebutted. "Being scooped up by the rear end of a fox isn't exactly how I'd like to spend my free time."

It was then that she got hushed by the fox as he raised a finger to his muzzle, inspiring her violet eyes to roll.

Nick started motioning with strange paw signals that somehow he expected her read, and after she refrained from speaking again, he was on the move.

With an eyebrow raised she followed after him again, this time down a shaded path between two buildings she had never visited nor seen before. They were old-fashioned compared to the more modernized styled academic buildings around campus, using the same dingy red brick as the freshman halls. They were nothing fancy, not particularly an eye-sore either. But there was a waft of something odd in the air that made Judy's nose twitch.

The fox scanned the area as they sped past a set of empty bike racks and approached a ramp that seemed to lead to a large automatic gate with a 'waste disposal' sign above it.

"A… garbage exposal exit?" Judy referred to the gate with scrutiny evident in her voice. "…Nick, I'm sure there are more  _sanitary_  places we could duck into than this."

"We're not studying in a dumpster closet, rest assured Carrots," he quietly replied as he confirmed the coast was indeed clear.

Then, with the rabbit close behind, he led her down a small brick tunnel beside the ramped exit seemingly shaped for only small mammals to enter; a dark tunnel that technically entered the building but instead led to a space entirely out in the open.

It exposed something she never would have expected.

A patch of neatly trimmed lawn, decorated with small groups of vividly colorful flowers hidden at the very center of the staff-operated building. A dense weeping willow tree stood at its focus, casting a generous shade that the fox quickly entered.

Judy, on the other-paw, was frozen in her tracks as she glanced around herself in awe of the small sanctuary.

They were at some secluded outdoor space that was hidden  _within_  the building— one that fascinated the bunny with growing, yet limited knowledge of the campus.

Fortunately there were no windows along the circular limits of the garden; simply woody vines that breath-takingly traversed along reddish-brick exterior. Above them was a doughnut-hole viewing of the sky where clouds drifted slow, revealing more sun with each passing second.

It was the closest thing reminiscent to the out-doorsy nature she was accustomed to back at home.

"Not many students know about this little spot," Nick sighed almost in relief of that fact, breaking her free from her admiration of the garden as she turned to look at him standing in the shade. "Figures. You have to get past a dumpster trail to access it, which explains the  _eau de shit_. Hah well, sorry about that. Good thing is, I've never seen anyone else here before the few times I've come here. For… obvious reasons."

Judy turned slowly in her spot to look around as she replied. "How'd you even discover this in the first place? It's… beautiful."

"Because I know every nook and cranny on this campus." He responded with a shrug, suddenly aware of the dreamy look in her eyes. "All of Zootopia, to boot."

"That must be amazing." She exhaled the last word distractedly, leaning forward to run her paws softly over the flowerbeds underneath her. It was exciting, to say the least, how very small she was in comparison to such a large and mysterious city that hid treasures beyond her imagination. She suddenly wanted to explore it all, discover every nook and cranny of like Nick had done.

"It's nothing new for me, really." He humbly admitted as he watched her wistful astonishment from the tree shade.

The fox was undeniably content that she happened to like the spot he chose. To him the garden was really nothing special, and definitely not a place he'd bring someone to impress them. But she seemed to prove him wrong judging by how her eyes lit up as she silently prized the simple greenery, even attempted to gently catch a few butterflies that whizzed over the lawn.

He found himself staring at her for longer than he felt was probably appropriate and cleared his throat to snap himself back to reality.

"Well alright, how about we get this show on the road." The fox sat squarely on the grass underneath the bowing tree and brought out his exam booklet. "Since we're looking at a short amount time, I'll just walk you through my test so you can hear out my answers."

Judy realized her distraction with the garden and carefully dismissed a butterfly that happened to sit on her elbow. She quickly ducked into the shade and sat in front of him with her legs crossed beneath her, looking up at him with tall ears and a calm grin. "Gotcha. I'm ready when you are."

Nick nodded, refusing to acknowledge how strangely  _adorable_  she looked sitting like that across from him. "Okay. Ahem. So, look-ee here…"

He pointed to the set of questions on his lap, read them aloud, and eloquently explained his answers without referring to what was written. He did it all from memory, knowing all the terminology on the branches of government, all the important names of mammal politicians, crimes, and dates— even the cause and verdict of historical Supreme Court battles.

Judy watched him, completely dazed at how remarkable he was.

"So you see," Nick spoke smoothly as they maintained eye contact with her, using his paws to gesture. " _Victimology_  means exactly what it sounds like. It's the study, hence the ' _ology'_ , of characteristics observed in typical crime victims. Victimology exposes the reasons why certain mammals are more likely than others to become victims of a crime…."

The handsome fox continued, even touching upon points the bunny completely missed out on or didn't even recall studying.

It took a little over twenty minutes without a peep from the attentive rabbit, and as he was relieved to finally stop his tutor-like rant, he tossed her a calm smile. "And that's basically it. Y'know, you could've interrupted me at any time if you had any questions."

"Well, that's the thing," Judy bashfully laughed, rubbing the spot behind her ears. "I didn't have any questions. You explained it all...  _really_  thoroughly." She jotted down some notes along the margins of her test with her other paw as she spoke. "How in the world did you not get a perfect score on this?"

Nick smiled contently as he leaned back in his seat, straightening the collar around his neck. "I missed two points because I wrote in  _cursive_. Kind of a silly reason to miss out on points, if you ask me. But rules are rules I guess."

Feeling like a complete imbecile suddenly, Judy settled her small paws on her lap, thinking over his explained answers with parted lips.

There was a brief moment of silence of her just letting all of his hidden brilliance soak in.

"Nick, I…" She searched for words she knew she wanted to say. "I didn't mean to offend you earlier when I assumed that you cheated. In fact, you're incredibly intelligent. And I shouldn't have doubted you." She became flustered at her own admission, sinking in her seated position with her gaze on the grass.

Nick grinned sheepishly as he appreciated her words. "Mm, what was that? Didn't quite catch it the first time."

Judy sucked in a breath, amused and somewhat relieved he didn't take her disbelief to heart. "You're not as dumb as you look." She cracked a smile.

"Eh, I liked the compliment the first time around a lot better, but I'll take what I can get," he amusingly drawled. "But now, seeing as we have a bit of time to spare, I'll help you improve like I promised. You mind if I take a quick look at your test?"

"Oh, uh," Judy blinked. "Yeah—I mean,  _no_ , I don't mind. Here," she stuttered, looking over at her splayed open book, scattered notes, and exam booklet before handing the latter over to him. Her ears were droopy as he accepted it and saw her score. "For the record… I procrastinated.  _Badly_. I never usually score this low and I really am embarrassed about it…"

He said nothing as he began to skim over it.

Judy inched closer and observed as he flipped through the pages silently for a few minutes, his expression lacking any signs of spite, mirth, or judgement as he delicately worked through every one of her written words. In that moment she lost all previous discomfort or embarrassment over him knowing her grade. Instead the rabbit curiously watched him with a trembling pink nose, noticing the entertaining way his ears twitched and his green eyes danced along the page as he read silently to himself.

"Hmm." Nick stroked his chin. "You explain yourself pretty well, but it doesn't… sound natural. Kind of like you just mind-purged all the info you managed to memorize last minute."

Judy nervously laughed, twirling the end of one of her ears. "Yeah… you kind of hit the head on the nail there."

He closed the booklet and looked over at her, suddenly aware of how close she sat across from him now, their knees almost touching. "You've got the major stuff down, you just missed a couple of relevant points and rambled a bit here and there. But you've basically got the idea." Nick critiqued as he sat her booklet beside his own. "Nothing to beat yourself up over at all. You  _passed_. Congrats."

Judy smiled weakly, still quite unused to academic criticism but still completely grateful for his help. "Thanks. But really, my work compared to yours?  _Are you kidding?_ " Judy playfully nudged his arm, which made him grin goofily. "I can't believe I'm saying this but, you really  _do_  make me look like a  _dumb bunny._ "

"Aw c'mon. Give yourself some more credit, Carrots." He chuckled. "I bet if you had the right study techniques down, you'd snag the highest score title from right under my nose." The red fox spoke confidently, a statement that definitely praised the smaller mammal next to him.

"Hmm." The bunny hummed, looking over at him with a coy smirk. "Maybe I could. And maybe I will."

"Uh-oh." He laughed sweetly. "I've really gotta watch out for you, then, don't I?"

Judy's vaguely answered with a raise of her eyebrows before breathing out a quiet laugh.

As she swept her ears behind her there was a moment of serene silence: lingering smiles on the faces of natural enemies, birds chirping overhead, and shifting patches of sunlight peeking through the tree canopy when the wind rustled its branches.

Those peaceful seconds were then spoiled when her phone alarm went off unexpectedly, its rumble in her back pocket making her stand onto her knees and fish it out quickly. "Oh  _shoot_! I've got seminar in five minutes. When are you free to study again?"

"Uh," Nick bit the side of his lip as he thought. "Noon on Tuesday Thursday?"

She shook her head as she gathered her materials. "No can do, I've got statistics on those days. How about…" She stuffed a bit recklessly into her book bag. "Wednesdays at three?"

"Nah, I've got Prehistoric studies then." He scratched his ear. "Hmm. It's a bit of a sacrifice but what we could do is…"

"…skip lunch Wednesday and Friday?" She chirped the idea, which was acknowledged by the fox with a quirked brow.

"You noticed too?" He breathed the question humorously, to which she responded with a side-to-side nod.

"Hah... yeah. I mean, I've seen you in the cafeteria too many times to not remember we happen to share a free period on those days."

"Aw. You notice me." His paw found his chest in a playful gesture. "I'm touched."

She rolled her eyes smugly. "Don't be. I'm just attentive to detail."

"Well, you better be attentive to all the  _magical-goodness_  I'm about to school you on twice a week." Nick bragged with a hum, leaning back against the base of the willow tree with his arms behind his head. "It's a plan then?"

"I think it could work." She optimistically agreed. "As long as you can come up with some excuse to get out of eating with the Alphas, and I can do the same with my friends…"

"I'm sure they won't care much if I skip out on a meal or two." Nick carelessly shrugged in regards to the fraternity. "So that's that, then. We'll meet here."

"Yep." Judy stuffed her booklet into her bag in a rush, crushing some papers in her effort to hurry. "I really gotta run now, or I'll be late."

"Wait." The fox spoke up again. "Before you go…"

Judy looked up at him curiously and watched as he folded his exam booklet and offered it to her. "You might need this. As an answer key, that'll help you correct your test in your alone time and really get the information down."

The bunny hesitated before taking his test. "You… sure you're okay with this?"

He nodded easily, a smirk painting his muzzle. "Since we've made amends and all I doubt you'll be setting it on fire."

She laughed. "I'll take good care of it. Thank you, Nick." After brushing off her jeans and slinging her book bag over her shoulders, she sped out of the tunnel entrance and retraced her steps towards her next class, Nick's booklet clutched securely against her chest.

 

.o0o.

 

The day was a surprisingly pleasant one, despite the way it began.

From making amends with the last mammal on the planet she ever thought would turn out to be a decent individual, to discovering some actual self-confidence over a heartbreaking test score, this week was bound to be promising.

Especially every Wednesday and Friday here on out.

Judy secretly anticipated learning more from her secret tutor.  _About_  her secret tutor.

And spreading out over the flowerbeds of the hidden garden he showed her, just to feel the nostalgic sensation of untrimmed earth against her fur.

Until then she would have to spend her nights studying on her own, independently reviewing the fox's exam booklet to correct her incomplete written answers. She placed the books side by side, using a highlighter and pencil to mark up her booklet while not leaving as much as a fold on Nick's test, keeping it in pristine condition (or in the same bent-up condition she was given it in, at the very least).

Judy paused for a moment under her desk lamp to admire his unique penmanship. It wasn't at all like that brash, inappropriate note he tossed into her lap weeks ago. This writing was smooth, intentionally delicate, and extremely easy to read unlike most cursive texts.

It was an attractive display of gentleness, especially coming from an Alpha predator.

Her ears shot up once the door of her room swung open, and almost immediately she stuffed Nick's exam underneath her own.

"Hey Judy!" Bellwether greeted with a heavy exhale, which easily revealed she had taken the stairs for a change. "I know I'm home… later than I should be. It's just that… I've been running around like a chicken… without a head recently." She hung her bag on the back of the door as she caught her breath. "With class, and seeing teachers during office hours, plus the dumb elevator not working… I've been  _crazy_ -busy."

"It is Monday, after all," Judy laughed softly. "We're all headless chickens today."

"We've got big plans for  _Pawlitics and Law_  coming up. Just emailed the students that signed up wanting to join, invited them all to meet with us next week. And by all, I mean two. Can you believe it? That's  _two-hundred percent more_  than I anticipated!"

The bunny hummed humorously, turning in her seat to look at her test booklet again. "That's great news, Dawn. We'll give 'em a great big welcome to the club."

"Not to intrude on your studying or anything," the sheep spoke softly as she stepped closer to Judy's desk, close enough so that when the rabbit glanced up, her roommate was hovering nosily right above her. "Buuut I never got to ask you what you got on that Criminal Justice test. You were taking a while to grab yours this morning so I decided to run off to class." Dawn leaned over the desk, curiously glancing over the papers there before resting a hoof on its edge. "How'd you do?"

"Oh, well," Judy began a bit nervously. "I… didn't do so hot."

" _What?_ " Bellwether gasped quietly.

"Yeah… I got a seventy, which is literally the lowest score I've ever gotten." Her ears drooped a bit, until Nick's encouraging words somehow came back to memory.

_Is a little test all it takes to get the almighty Carrots down?_

"But I won't let it get me down," she amended with a small smile. "I'm just gonna aim for higher on the next test by trying my best."

"Oh, muttonchops. Well that's really a bummer," Bellwether pouted. "And here I thought maybe you were the mammal that matched my score." The sheep sighed almost in disappointment, withdrawing herself from the desk and crossing her arms. The movement made the papers on Judy's desk shift a little, causing a corner of Nick's test to become visible. Judy slowly repaired the inference by sliding her test booklet over it again completely. "Not to rain on your parade by bragging about me, Judy, but I managed to get the highest grade in the  _entire_  class."

Violet eyes fluttered wide, but the rabbit concealed her confusion as best as she could. "W-what?"

"You heard right!  _I got a 98!_ " The sheep squealed happily, even tapping her heels on the ground to celebrate. The movement caused her red framed glasses to tilt, which she adjusted back to place easily.

Puzzled by the new information, Judy just forced a smile. "Wow, uh… well, congrats. I know you must've studied pretty hard for it."

"Aww, thanks." Dawn beamed. "The thing is," she began as she took a seat at her desk chair, slipping her shoes off slowly. "I went to speak with Dr. Castor today during office hours to clarify if I got top place, but she told me that there were  _two_  mammals that scored the highest. Me, and someone else. For confidentiality purposes, she couldn't tell me who the other top-scorer was." She whined lowly, giving a heavy sigh in tandem with the drop of a shoe. "And not for nothing? I'm  _dying_  to know who it is."

The firm grip on Judy's pencil proved to be a testament to her discomfort. Fortunate enough, she was great at keeping secrets, blame her loyalties to literally dozens of Hopps siblings she kept secrets for. She didn't intend on telling anyone about Nick's hidden intelligence or high test score, simply because she wanted to keep her end of their deal. Perhaps even out of respect for him.

"Y'know, I kinda admit, I'm glad you weren't that mystery-scorer." The sheep admitted with a laugh, a hoof toying with the frilly seam on her chest. "I get…  _really_  competitive when it comes to scores."

"Huh." The rabbit blinked, unsure of what to think. "Is that so?"

"Mhmm. Don't tell a soul about this, but in middle school I once swapped out cartons of lactose-free milk for regular milk on a girl's tray because she scored higher than me on a math exam. Since she was lactose-intolerant she got  _so_  sick after a month of me doing it. Her parents made her transfer schools and I never saw or heard from her again. Let's just say I've been trying to keep my rank as number one ever since."

Judy became tense at the jarringly unfamiliar look in the sheep's eyes.

"And I'll do anything and everything to  _keep it_  that way." After a moment of solemnly allowing her words to sink in, Dawn laughed heartily, even rolling forward in her wheeled chair to give Judy's shoulder an amusing rattle. "Grade school sure was somethin' right?"

"Hahah.  _Yeah_." Judy made her best effort not to frown from the concern she felt suddenly form in her gut. "Just curious here… what would you do if I  _was_  the mammal that got the same score as you?"

"Huh. Well." Bellwether withdrew her hoof to sway in her seat pensively. "I'd still tell you about the milk incident. And maybe I'd have you… consider it as a warning." She happily shrugged before retreating from her chair to saunter to her dresser. "Man, was this a long day or what? Can't wait to hit my bed to count myself to sleep." She rambled on casually, as if everything she said wasn't  _at all_ alarming.

"Same… here." Was all Judy managed to hesitantly reply, being sure to immediately stuff the booklets on her desk into her book bag before zippering it shut.

 

.o0o.

 

_Knock knock knock._

Those were probably Finnick's least favorite sounds in the vocabulary of music's entirety.

Being a music major required silence. Focus. Headphones. And he actually appreciated the idea of not hanging out with the frat until the weekend just to get some piano practice in, especially now more than ever with his piano recital fast-approaching.

Much to his displeasure, the knocking turned to banging.

"How many times do I gotta tell ya to take your keys with you, asshole." He groaned as he tore himself from his seat, mashing the keys of his keyboard as he pushed himself up and strolled over the heap of crap on his living room floor. "Hold your damn horses,  _I'm comin'!_ "

Finnick approached the door and swung it open impatiently, his dark brows knitting together as he glared up at his unannounced visitor.

" _Weaselton?_ " He murmured the question as he was taken aback, squinting slightly as his eyes adjusted to the sunlight outside. "What brings you here?"

The lanky weasel looked even less content than the fennec fox, his arms crossed over his scarlet alpha jacket and a grouchy mug making the frown on Finnick's muzzle practically look like an ear-to-ear smile.

"I came by to have a little chat with Nick," was all he said, peeking over the fennec fox into the messy apartment. "Is he here?"

"Nah, he's out right now. But he said if I saw you, to tell you that you should use a little more softener next time because his towels are scratchy." The tawny fox droned the request, slightly annoyed at his flat mate for asking him to relay his stupid messages. "Want me to tell him you stopped by?"

"Actually." Duke scowled, his eyes narrowing. "Pretend I was never here."

And just like that, the weasel tore himself from the door frame and left.

"Weird guy." Finnick shrugged, shutting the door firmly before returning to his practice.

Meanwhile, the weasel strode down the sidewalk with his teeth bared, inspired to kick an empty soda can he spotted lying near a parked car.

"I'll add that fucking softener, alright!"

Before now, he hoped that maybe he could settle a deal with the fox: get out of doing annoying chores for him as a minor expense for threatening to tell the entire campus about what he saw that night at the Alpha Preda house party. Spreading rumors would be a hell of a lot of work for the admittedly introverted weasel, as well as getting the generally uninspired head Alpha on board with a consequence for Wilde.

After a week of no down-talking from the somewhat aloof fox, Weaselton figured he'd go the more forgiving route. Cut the guy some slack by not blowing the situation out of proportion while still getting out of doing his stupid laundry. Maybe demand some respect while he was at it.

But that message Finnick passed along was the straw the broke the weasel's back.

Duke wouldn't settle on just blackmailing now,  _oh no_. That'd be letting that slippery fox off easy.

For all his wise-talking, he'd make Nicholas Wilde regret ever becoming a high-rank Alpha in the first place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Thanks for taking time to read what I've managed to scrap together, the last few weeks have been extremely hectic. Consistently writing a story can be tricky if you're moving all the way across the country! I'm happy to ease into my regular writing habits again now that I've gotten settled into my new place, all's well and I'm thankful.
> 
> Unfortunately however, I will have to put this story on hiatus as I am starting grad school :c. Don't worry though, I don't intend it to be *too* long, and I've already started working on the next chapters to come- I don't intend on abandoning ship in the slightest. I'm shamefully in love with my story, hahah, so I will definitely finish it. But I will need some time to focus on my studies, so I hope that can be understood!
> 
> Let me know what you thought. :D Til next time!


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